Belfast scientists identify gene that can help predict tamoxifen treatment failure

Feb 1 2010

Gene could predict tamoxifen treatment failure

“I believe that many women are being treated with tamoxifen without knowing whether it will benefit them. This research is a step in the right direction towards personalised treatment, ensuring that appropriate therapies are given right at the point of diagnosis, avoiding unnecessary treatment.”

Scientists in Belfast have identified a gene which could predict whether women with breast cancer will respond to treatment with tamoxifen, according to findings published today in Cancer Research.

Dr Tracy Robson and researcher Dr Hayley McKeen, funded by Breast Cancer Campaign at the School of Pharmacy Queen’s University Belfast have identified a gene, FKBPL. When it is found in high levels in breast cancer, it indicates a good response to tamoxifen and a better chance of survival. Conversely low levels of FKBPL indicate a poor response.

Approximately 28,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with oestrogen dependent breast cancer each year, and many thousands will receive tamoxifen for five years after initial treatment and surgery. However scientists predict the drug is only effective in around two-thirds of people with thousands of patients seeing no benefit.

Dr Robson hopes to harness the FKBPL gene to develop a test to better predict the outcome of treatment with tamoxifen. This will mean the most effective therapy for the tumour type is given early on in the disease.

Dr Robson, principal investigator, said, “I believe that many women are being treated with tamoxifen without knowing whether it will benefit them. This research is a step in the right direction towards personalised treatment, ensuring that appropriate therapies are given right at the point of diagnosis, avoiding unnecessary treatment.

“More importantly this research should allow us to identify which patients are unlikely to respond to or eventually relapse on tamoxifen therapy, which means they could be treated more aggressively with chemotherapy. In the next three years we should have a clearer indication of whether our research can benefit the patient.”

The next step is to assess levels of this gene in breast cancer samples from large numbers of patients who were treated with tamoxifen.

Arlene Wilkie, Director of Research and Policy, Breast Cancer Campaign, which funded the study said, “Tamoxifen has long been available as a treatment for women with oestrogen dependent breast cancer. We know it works really well for the majority of people but in around a third of cases, it may not be the best treatment option. In the future a simple test could help us identify these people.”