Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is when all of the genes in a tumor are tested for genomic mutations. Read the discussions about whether NGS improves survival and quality of life, and the ESMO recommendations regarding NSG for patients with metastatic cancers (including breast).
The term “tumor mutation burden” refers to the number of mutations, or changes, seen in the DNA of your cancer cells. It is now one of the biomarkers used to determine cancer treatments. Studies suggest that tumors with a high number of mutations may be more likely to respond to a type of immunotherapy called a checkpoint inhibitor.
Below you can read more about how researchers are using tumor mutation burden to determine which treatments might be best for which patients. You will also find articles specific to studies that have looked at the relationship between tumor mutation burden and treatment outcomes in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Cancer researchers have the ability to collect more data on patients in clinical trials than ever before. Analyzing these “big data” sets could provide clues that may help scientists figure out which treatments will work best for a specific cancer patient based on the type of cancer they have and the mutations that are helping it grow.
Below are a collection of articles that can help you learn more about the role big data is expected to play in the next decade of cancer research. We’ve also included a link to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Project, a big data research project to speed the development of new cancer treatments that every person with metastatic breast cancer in the U.S. can join.
The terms genetic testing and genomic testing are often used in articles about cancer research. They sound similar, but they are not the same.
Below are a collection of articles and one video that can help you understand the differences between genetic testing, which refers to the genes you have inherited, and genomic testing, which refers to the testing of the tumor.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two tests to identify genetic alterations in tumors. These tests, which are done on a tumor sample, look for hundreds of known genetic mutations and alterations linked to cancer. The results can potentially be used to make treatment decisions.
Genomic tumor testing is currently not the standard of care for breast cancer patients–but one day it might be. Below you can read about the two tests.
Metastatic breast cancer patients, advocates, and researchers have been working together to develop registries and databases where patients can share information about their tumors as well as their treatments, side effects, and quality of life to help advance metastatic breast cancer research.
MBC Connect is a free, interactive, web and mobile-friendly patient registry. By using the app you help to create a real-time database that can improve our understanding and treatment of metastatic breast cancer. The app is available in English and Spanish.
The MBC Project collects patient data along with blood and tumor samples. Scientists believe studying the DNA in the tumor samples patients provide will help them develop new and better treatments for metastatic breast cancer.
The MBC Project is part of Count Me In, which aims to enroll more than 100,000 patients living with all major cancer types, as well as rare cancers.
You can read more about these program in the Time magazine article below.
Over time, cancer cells often stop responding to the treatment that is keeping the tumor in check. This is called treatment resistance.
Below you will find three articles that address different aspects of treatment resistance. The first article describes research looking into the genetics of cells that become resistant. The goal is to use this information to identify new treatments. Following that are articles about treatment resistance in ER+ breast tumors and the relationship between HER2 mutations and resistance to hormone therapies.
Looking for more information? There’s an entire journal devoted to the topic: Cancer Drug Resistance. You can find it here: CDR Journal.
CRISPR is short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. And if you follow science news, you’ve been hearing it a lot lately. What do you need to know about CRISPR and cancer?
First, we’ve got a Wired video that explains CRISPR in 5 different ways, so you, too, will know what everyone’s talking about. Next up is an article on how CRISPR might be used to treat cancer. And after that, there’s two articles on the recent finding that CRISPR results in more DNA damage than initially thought–and may cause cancer.
