Funded Projects - New Targets For Chemotherapy
This project, conducted by Massey University in New Zealand explores the causes of drug resistance so that more effective treatments can be developed. When drugs are administered, our body develops a resistance against them. On occasion, this resistance prolongs the time before which treatment becomes effective. Dr Kathryn Stowell's project aims to understand the development of drug resistance associated with breast cancer so that more effective chemotherapy treatments can be provided to patients over a shorter period of time.
Hypothesis
The development of drug resistance in breast cancer is due to a network of drug-induced alterations in gene expression.
Aims
1) Compare gene expression in parental and drug resistant breast cancer cell lines at the RNA level
2) Confirm altered expression in candidate genes implicated in the development of drug resistance
3) Use tumour bank samples to study the expression of candidate genes in tumours known to either respond or develop resistance to chemotherapy using doxorubicin.
Significance
This project has direct relevance to the treatment and prevention of cancer in that it directly addresses a common problem in cancer treatment. It also represents translational research into cancer treatment that may ultimately lead to improved treatments and health care. The analysis of tumour bank samples is a critical part of this study as it will allow correlation of proteins implicated in drug resistance with clinical outcome for a significant number of New Zealand women. As New Zealand has an extremely high incidence of breast cancer, it is important to be able to relate our research findings to the New Zealand population. These benefits include:
- A more extensive knowledge of the molecular mechanisms associated with drug resistance associated with breast cancer chemotherapy.
- Insights into factors relating to drug resistance that may be unique in the New Zealand population.
- The identification of new drug targets.
- More effective chemotherapy regimens will be able to be developed.
One in every twelve New Zealand women develops breast cancer and the incidence is increasing, independently of known age-related effects. Breast cancer, therefore, produces tremendous personal suffering. Chemotherapy can reduce the risk of recurrence after surgery by 30% and produce responses in 50% of patients with metastatic breast cancer. However, development of drug resistance is responsible for failure of chemotherapy in 50% of patients. We will explore the causes of drug resistance such that more effective treatments can be developed.
- Click here to view the Final Report