Association between gene analyzing method, drug sensitivity and precision medicine in breast cancer

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K07328
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 50020:Tumor diagnostics and therapeutics-related
• Research Institution: Yokohama City University
• Principal Investigator: OKANO Yasuko 横浜市立大学, 医学研究科, 客員准教授 (70438133)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 市川 靖史 横浜市立大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (70254208)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 乳癌 / 遺伝子多型 / 薬剤感受性 / エストロゲンレセプター / NRF2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer is both the most common (>70%) and least aggressive subtype of breast cancer4). These tumors also have a poor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 gene (NRF2) plays important roles in cellular defense, tumor suppression, and oncogenesis. We have developed a simple and dependable single-tube reaction method, namely, the Eprobe-mediated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method (Eprobe-PCR) for the screening and quantitative detection of fusion gene transcripts. The simplicity and high sensitivity of Eprobe-PCR may be suitable in a clinical setting that requires swift and accurate NRF2 detection. Taken together, SNP(c.-617C>A) of NRF2 is significantly associated with breast cancer risk but not with the survival of breast cancer patients.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ER陽性乳癌の罹患率は、近年、女性の臓器別の高いがん罹患率を占めており、ER陽性乳癌のリスクを早期に検出するバイオマーカーが確立され、遺伝子多型の検出診断法キットが開発されることで、今後臨床の現場で、Precision Medicineの推進が可能となり最適な治療に結びつき、生命の尊厳につなげ、多様性を生かし重んじる共存共生による生活環境やライフスタイルに合わせた疾病予防や治療を行うという新しい医療概念として治療成績が向上し医療費削減にもつながることが期待される。