Genetic mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy in breast cancer

Resistance towards chemotherapy is one of the main causes of treatment failure and deathamong breast cancer patients.The main objective of this project is toidentify genetic mechanisms causing some breast cancer patients not torespond to a particluar type of chemotherapy (epirubicin) while otherpatients respond very well to the same treatment. In the project wewill perform genome / exome sequencing of a selection of breast cancerpatients (n=30). These patients are drawn from a cohort where allpatients have recieved treatment with epirubicin monotherapy before surgical removal of alocally advanced breast tumour, and where all patients have beensubjected to objective evaluation of the response to thetherapy. Subsequent to sequencing, we will analyse the data andcompare with the clinical data for each patient (object response totherapy). The main aim being to identify mutations that are associatedwith resistance to epirubicin. Identification of mutations with strongpredictive value, may have a direct impact on cancer treatment sinceit opens the possibility for genetic testing of a tumour, and desicionon which drug is likely to work best, prior to treatment start.

• 27/05/2015
• 29 samples
• DAC: EGAC00001000000
• Technology: Illumina HiSeq 2000