Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researchers have developed a new method of identifying abnormalities that cause cells to develop into cancerous ones that is much quicker and far less expensive than the traditional method of identification. According to the researchers, DNA sequencing to find cancer-causing mutations in genes is time consuming and expensive, and the vast majority of mutations it identifies don't cause cancer. With the new method, in less than two months they were able to find three activating mutations of the tyrosine kinase JAK3 in acute myeloid leukemia cells.
"It may have taken years to find these mutations with DNA sequencing alone," said Jeffrey Tyner, Ph.D, a senior author of the study. "As we streamline our process, we will be able to analyze cancer cells for mutations in a matter of just weeks."
"It moves forward the personalized medicine model where cancer treatment is tailored for each patient based on the molecular mutations at the heart of his or her cancer," states Dr. Brian Druker, JELD-WEN chair of leukemia research in the OHSU Cancer Institute and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
One day Dr. Druker believes this new method of identifying abnormalities that cause cells to turn into cancerous ones can be applied to many cancers and that there will be a targeted drug developed for each cancer. For more information, visit OHSU Cancer Institute news.
