Article: Genetic Study Divides Breast Cancer Into 4 Distinct Types by Gina Kolata. New York Times. September 23, 2012.
Breast cancer has now been shown to in fact be four genetically distinct types of cancer which have much in common with other types of cancer. Drugs approved for cancers in other parts of the body may now be evaluated to treat breast cancers since the underlying genetic processes for the cancers are similar. Additional drugs may now be developed to precisely target the underlying conditions giving rise to breast cancer. Developing and evaluating these treatments may take years. Even though there are 4 distinct types of cancer, individual tumors may have individual genetic changes thus complicating the development of clinical tools.
However some immediate therapeutic implications are available. For example certain drugs for ovarian cancer may now be tried to treat breast cancer. These cancers are basal-like cancers for the basal layer of the skin.
Luminal A and Luminal B type breast cancers seem to be often so closely associate with specific genetic aberrations that some scientists think that they may be the actual cause of the cancer.
The analysis of the fourth type of cancer, HER2-enriched, shows that the current drug to may be effective for some tumors and not for others. Extensive clinical trials will be required to determine the most effective treatment for specific HER2-enriched tumors
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