RECENT FINDINGS — CANCER
Glioblastoma 2021 U.S. estimates: 24,530 new cases of brain and other nervous system cancer and 18,600 deaths Genetic studies have identified three key pathways often mutated in glioblastoma tumors. Additional work has uncovered abnormal patterns of gene activity and the master switches controlling those genes. These patterns vary widely, even across a single tumor. This variation
oncology Oncology
Genomics- driven Genomics- D
Nearly all cancers are caused by genetic changes that alter important biological pathways controlling cell growth and survival. Specific genetic changes influence the rate of cell growth, determine how aggressively the cancer will spread and control whether one drug will be more effective than another at killing the cancer cells. Over the past decade, advances in genomic technologies, tumor analysis and drug development have changed the landscape of cancer diagnosis and treatment. In the laboratory, genomic information obtained from cancer cells has reshaped understanding of how cancer forms. In the clinic, this same information is beginning to guide therapeutic decisions, improving outcomes for patients with cancer.
may explain the historically poor response to therapy. Classifying glioblastomas by their overarching activity patterns may point towards more effective combination treatments.
Lung adenocarcinoma 2021 U.S. estimates: 235,760 new cases and 131,880 deaths
Lung cancer is composed of several subtypes. The two most common are non-small-cell lung cancer and small-cell lung cancer, which respectively comprise 76 percent and 13 percent of all US lung cancers. Overall mortality from lung cancer is declining in the United States. Recent analyses suggest a significant part of this decline is due to improvement in survival for non- small-cell lung cancer. These improvements are driven by newly approved drugs and immunotherapies that are targeted to particular genetic muta- tions present within the tumors.
Melanoma 2021 U.S. estimates: 106,100 new cases and 7,180 deaths As with most forms of cancer, the majority of melanomas are sporadic. They are not caused by genetic mutations inherited from a parent, but from mutations that randomly occur in the pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. Many genetic mutations associated with melanoma are well documented. Intriguingly, melanomas that form on parts of the body that get little or only periodic sun exposure have different patterns of DNA mutation compared to melanomas from chronically sun-damaged sites. Knowledge of commonly-mutated genetic pathways has led to several targeted therapies approved for both early stage and metastatic melanomas. These treatments often result in long-term cancer control and survival.
Endometrial 2021 U.S. estimates: 66,570 new cases and 12,940 deaths Genomic studies subdivide endometrial cancer into four main categories. This classification system is more effective at predicting progression and outcome than prior approaches. Within each category, characteristic genetic changes have opened the door to targeted treatment options. Many are in early stage clinical trials.
Cancer results from the stepwise accumulation of genetic mutations which increase cell growth and/or create a favorable environment for tumor expansion.
third mutation
first mutation second mutation
normal cell
increasing numbers of genetic change
Cancer
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