Ovarian cancer treatment in the future may take into account a person's genetic make-up.
New research from the University of Cambridge has found that those with faulty
BRCA genes are more likely to survive the disease than those with normal
genetic material.
The study's lead author Dr Paul Pharoah said this had implications for the way
ovarian cancer may be treated from now on.
"It's important that researchers now look at what treatment approaches
work best for women without those genetic faults," he added.
The BRCA gene is responsible for the maintenance of DNA within a cell and
scientists suspect it may be that faulty genes alter the biology of a tumour,
making it more responsive to drugs.
More than 1,200 ovarian cancer patients were assessed during the course of the
research.
According to Cancer Research UK, BRCA genes are responsible for around ten per
cent of all incidences of the disease and can also be a significant risk factor
in the development of breast cancer.
© Adfero Ltd
Cancer treatment news : 28 January 2012
