Genetic mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy in breast cancer

Resistance towards chemotherapy is one of the main causes of treatment failure and death
among breast cancer patients.
The main objective of this project is to identify genetic mechanisms causing some breast
cancer patients not to respond to a particluar type of chemotherapy (epirubicin) while other
patients respond very well to the same treatment.
In the project we will perform genome / exome sequencing of a selection of breast cancer
patients (n=30). These patients are drawn from a cohort where all patients have recieved
treatment with epirubicin monotherapy before surgical removal of a locally advanced breast
tumour, and where all patients have been subjected to objective evaluation of the response to
the therapy.
Subsequent to sequencing, we will analyse the data and compare with the clinical data for
each patient (object response to therapy). The main aim being to identify mutations that are
associated with resistance to epirubicin.
Identification of mutations with strong predictive value, may have a direct impact on cancer
treatment since it opens the possibility for genetic testing of a tumour, and desicion on which
drug is likely to work best, prior to treatment start.EGA study EGAS00001000276