Cancer researchers PTEN discovery provides knowledge to individualize treatment (Reuters, 25 July 2013)

Scientists have discovered a function of the tumour suppressor gene Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) that helps explain why certain promising therapies fail in many cancer patients, a finding that could aid in delivering tailored, personalized cancer medicine based on an individual's genetics.

The research, published online in Science, "increases understanding of the molecular mechanisms of action of PTEN, which is known to be defective in as many as half of all advanced cancers", according to principal investigator Vuk Stambolic.

In the lab, working with cell and animal models of cancer, the research team discovered what happens when the protein product of PTEN is lost or deregulated. Dr. Stambolic says: "We realized that the PTEN nuclear function links this tumour suppressor to the response to conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation. This new knowledge, combined with our prior understanding of PTEN, provided immediate clues for individualizing therapy for patients with PTEN-deficient tumours."

Medical oncologist Lillian Siu says: "For clinicians, this is a significant finding that could help guide treatment decisions, especially considering that we can already test for PTEN deficiency by molecularly analysing biopsied tissue, providing a biomarker for implementation of combined therapies that may be most effective."

This new finding could help clinicians develop specific cancer therapies tailored for individual patients, leading to increasing chances of developing a response to therapy.

Source: EurekAlert (press release)