Hope for bowel cancer treatment: Doctors trial personalised medication
A LINK between genetic mutations in bowel tumours and the immune system raises the prospect of improved personalised treatments, according to a new study.
Scientists found that certain genetic changes in bowel cancer are more likely than others to trigger an immune response at the site of tumours.
Treatments designed to boost this immune response further could potentially help these patients, say the researchers.
The findings, published in the journal Oncoimmunology, suggest genetic profiles of patients' tumours could rapidly show if they are suitable for immunotherapy treatments.
This study shows a strong association between certain genetic profiles and immune response
An ongoing trial, Focus4, is already offering bowel cancer patients medicine tailored to their genetic profile.
Lead scientist Professor Gary Middleton, from the University of Birmingham, said: "The field of immunotherapy is gaining lots of momentum and this study shows a new finding for bowel cancer.
"We are already using genetic profiling for stratified medicine in bowel cancer in the Focus4 trial.
"But this research indicates that we could marry immunotherapy with the work we are already doing to personalise treatment even more."
Researchers used a large database called The Cancer Genomic Atlas to study this relationship.
In future, the research could help scientists target drugs to switch off immune suppression associated with certain genetic mutations.
Nell Barrie, senior science communication manager at Cancer Research UK, which funded the research, said: "This study shows a strong association between certain genetic profiles and immune responses, but we don't yet fully understand this link.
"Further research to investigate the fundamentals behind different immune responses could open new doors in drug development."
