Tumors, a test created that predicts if cancer will resist chemo

Created a test that can predict successfully if the cancer resists the common forms of chemotherapy treatment: it is the result of a team of Cambridge University scientists funded by Cancer Research UK, in collaboration with the National Centre for Spanish Cancer Research (CNIO) and the startup Tailor Bio with based in Cambridge, reported in Nature Genetics. The test works by looking at DNA changes within of the tumor, known as signs of chromosomal instability (Cin). It is was tested using data from 840 patients with different types of cancer, and used to classify the patients as "chemotherapy resistant" or "sensitive", after which they were virtually assigned to a different type of chemotherapy treatment to find out how long it took for the treatment to stop working. The test is therefore able to accurately predict the resistance to treatment of three common types of chemotherapy: platinum-, anthracycline- and taxane-based chemotherapy. Analysis by Cancer Research UK and NHS England shows that every every year in England tens of thousands of people come treated with chemotherapy of this type. Chemotherapy is an effective form of treatment for cancer, but can be toxic to both healthy cells and those causing cancer, causing unpleasant side effects. In future, scientists hope that this test can be used at the time of diagnosis to predict efficacy of each type of chemotherapy against different types of cancer. This would allow them to offer personalized treatments, avoiding giving patients chemotherapy that is not work. "Chemotherapy is a mainstay of cancer care. cancer and saves many lives. However, in many cases, it is administered in the same way for over 40 years - explains author James Brenton. Unfortunately, there are too many cases where the cancer is resistant to it, which leads to unpleasant effects side effects for the patient with limited benefits. With the genomic sequencing - continued - we can improve the effectiveness of some of the most well-established chemotherapies. Understanding who is most likely to respond to the treatment, chemotherapy could become a more effective therapy personalized for different types of cancer."