Léo Ramos A matter of profile: group of genes, microRNAs and proteins indicates tumor aggressivenessLéo Ramos
Having identified mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in 9% of cases of breast cancer without a family history of the disease, a group of researchers at the University of São Paulo and the A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, coordinated by Maria Mitzi Brentani, has decided to investigate other biological mechanisms that could explain why breast tumors are more aggressive in younger women (up to age 35) than in middle-aged patients (50-65 years old). After analyzing 25 samples of tumors from younger women and 25 from older ones, the group found a combination of eight microRNAs, 602 genes, 24 proteins and 306 tumoral microenvironment genes that collectively reveal a biological profile typical of tumors that develop in young adults. Out of that total, eight microRNAs, eight genes and eight proteins were pointed out as potential biological markers for aggressive tumors and an additional prognostic tool for cases of breast cancer among younger women (PLOS One, May 6, 2016). The researchers warn that a larger sample of tumoral tissue should be analyzed to confirm the results of the study before these potential genetic markers can be used in clinical practice to provide young women with better-suited treatments.
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