Featured Research
April 3, 2014
An enhanced understanding of the genetic basis of esophageal cancer could help improve treatment for the disease which is especially prevalent in Southeast Asia.
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AsianScientist (Apr. 3, 2014) – Scientists now have a better understanding of the genetic basis of esophageal squamous carcinoma, and have found several targets that could be treated by drugs. These findings were published online in the journal Nature Genetics.
A team of scientists from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore and National University Cancer Institute Singapore (NCIS), and their collaborators from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine, demonstrated that a number of novel genetic defects are able to induce esophageal cancer.
The research group, led by Professor H. Phillip Koeffler, Senior Principal Investigator at CSI Singapore and Deputy Director of NCIS, has conducted a comprehensive genomic study of esophageal squamous carcinoma, a type of very aggressive cancer prevalent in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
In this study, the researchers investigated a large variety of genetic lesions which arose from esophageal squamous carcinoma. The results showed enrichment of genetic abnormalities that affect several important cellular process and pathways in human cells, which promote the development of this malignancy. The scientists also uncovered a number of novel candidate genes that may make the cancer sensitive to chemotherapy.
The researchers’ findings provide a molecular basis for the understanding of the pathophysiology of esophageal carcinoma as well as for developing novel therapies for this deadly disease. These results have immediate relevance for cancer researchers, as well as for clinical oncologists who currently do not have effective therapeutic agents to treat this type of cancer.
Dr Lin Dechen, Research Fellow at CSI Singapore and first author of the research paper, noted, “Our findings are very relevant to Singapore and the region because this disease is endemic to Southeast Asia. More importantly, many potential therapeutic drugs have surfaced from our analysis, with some of them already in use for treating other types of tumors. We are more than excited to test their efficacy in esophageal cancer.”
With the discovery of these previously unrecognized genetic defects, Koeffler and his team will explore the detailed molecular mechanisms in the next phase of research. In addition, the scientists will evaluate whether some of these defects can be used in the clinic to cure this disease.
The article can be found at: Lin et al. (2014) Genomic and molecular characterization of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
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Source: National University of Singapore; Photo: LA Endo/Flickr/CC.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.
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