Lung cancer studies proceed
New research is to be conducted on how genetic markers can be used to predict risks of lung cancer recurrence and improve treatment, it was announced this week.
It comes as Breakthrough Cancer Research (Breakthrough) has given the green light to funding two new lung cancer clinical studies.
The first, by Prof. Bryan Hennessy from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, will analyse the breath of lung cancer survivors to detect genetic mutations that could predict the probability of a future recurrence of the disease.
Currently, the only way of predicting recurrence is through invasive biopsies, which cannot be performed frequently due to patient health risks, and blood sampling, which is not fully reliable as it only has a one in five accuracy prediction rate.
The second study, which is being led by Dr Dearbhaile Collins, a consultant medical oncologist in CUH, will measure genetic markers in the blood of patients linked to an aggressive form of small cell lung cancer with very poor survival rates.
Small cell lung cancer makes up approximately 15 per cent of the lung cancers diagnosed in Ireland and studies have shown that almost one in four patients with small cell lung cancer have a higher level of the cancer-causing gene, MYC.
Detection of MYC may therefore open up the possibility of clinical trials with novel MYC-targeting compounds.
The research team led by Dr Collins will collect blood samples from patients when they are first diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and test for MYC gene levels before the patient starts anti-cancer treatment.
Using blood samples, or ‘liquid biopsy’ instead of taking a tumour biopsy, minimises potential harm to patients and the MYC gene analysis will inform doctors’ understanding of how to best treat patients and potentially identify new approaches for patients that specifically target the MYC compounds.
Dr Collins said: “This research will increase our understanding of the role of the MYC gene in small cell lung cancer. It is hoped that this research will help to identify patients with different risks of cancer progression. This will help to determine the best treatment options for different patients and potentially identify new targeted treatment approaches for patients with small cell lung cancer.”
Lung cancer accounts for almost 20 per cent of all cancer deaths in Ireland which is more than those from breast and prostate cancer combined.
Orla Dolan, CEO of Breakthrough Cancer Research, said: “Improved methods of detection of this disease, and accurate identification of the underlying changes in the cancer cells could make treatment more successful. Accurate detection is essential to optimal treatment decisions. Therefore, research into improving lung cancer detection could great impact the survival rate for many patients. We are therefore delighted to green light the funding for these two exciting new studies which have the potential to save many lives in the future.”
Debbie Whelan, a lung cancer patient, said: “The recurrence of cancer is the biggest fear factor for cancer survivors. Finding improved ways of determining that risk would not only improve cancer treatments but would also help with the psychological impact of the disease as we all fear the unknown. At least by knowing, we can be proactive.”
Another lung cancer patient Ben Barry said: “We have made great progress in finding new treatments over the past decade, and it’s only by further research that this horrible illness will be finally beaten.”