A new Tool in Cancer Treatment

A new Tool in Cancer Treatment

Scientists have developed a test that can tell if cancer patients are likely to respond to the most common drug treatment -- Alkylating agents. A version of the test, developed by UK firm Virco, could soon be routinely used by doctors. The test detects whether a particular gene, the MGMT gene, has a molecule called methyl attached to it. If the MGMT gene has no methyl attached it can switch on a repair process which counteracts the effect of the alkylating drug.

Research carried out by Virco showed that brain tumour patients who tested positive for the methyl molecule were 16 times more likely to respond to treatment. They were also ten times less likely to die during the three years of follow-up than were those who tested negative.

The ability of our cells to repair DNA damage is one of the major reasons for the failure of treatment with some of our most commonly used anti-cancer drugs, and temporarily switching off repair is one approach that is being actively investigated.

The research was conducted at the Comprehensive Cancer Research Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. The study researchers chose to examine brain tumour (glioma) patients because methylation of the MGMT gene is common in this type of cancer.

According to professor Steven Baylin, one of the lead researchers, said: this has the potential to be turned into a diagnostic tool that could help improve cancer therapy significantly.

In addition a drug to inhibit the MGMT gene and re-sensitise the patient to treatment with alkylating agents is under development.

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