First whole-genome sequencing clinical trials for triple-negative breast cancer presented

CARLSBAD, Calif., DALLAS, PHOENIX, and THE WOODLANDS, Texas – December 1, 2011 – Triple negative breast tumors, which make up nearly 20 percent of breast cancers, do not respond to treatment with targeted therapies such as Herceptin® (trastuzumab).

To investigate new options for these patients, the first clinical trial of whole-genome sequencing for women with triple negative breast cancer was initiated in March 2010, and the first results will be presented during the 2011 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Dec. 6-10, 2011.

Based on mutations uncovered by sequencing, physicians steered the women into treatment protocols for either existing drugs or new agents being evaluated in pharma-sponsored clinical trials. Several patients displayed benefit from treatments physicians selected taking sequencing data into consideration.

Results will be presented at 10:30 am CST, Thursday, Dec. 8, by Joyce O'Shaughnessy, M.D., medical director and co-chair of the Breast Cancer Research Committee, US Oncology Research; a practicing oncologist with Texas Oncology; and the Celebrating Women Chair of Breast Cancer Research at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center.

The study, titled "Next Generation Sequencing Reveals Co-Activating Events in the MAPK and PI3K/AKT Pathways in Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancers," is sponsored by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and US Oncology Research with support from Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE - News).

Provided by The Translational Genomics Research Institute