During a multi-omics analysis of the rare nasal cancer, olfactory neuroblastoma researchers tracked down potential protein markers for treatment response or resistance.
They were able to identify multiple protein biomarkers for response or resistance to chemotherapy that could be useful in choosing to use and in optimizing cytotoxic chemotherapy treatment. Their findings could improve the level of personalized treatment of this cancer, olfactory neuroblastoma.
In developing their conclusions, the team used a combination of targeted sequencing, gene fusion analyses, array-based expression profiling, copy number assays, and/or immunohistochemistry to assess tumor samples from 23 individuals with advanced or metastatic forms of olfactory neuroblastoma.
They found that in more than 60 percent of the tumors they tested they were able to identify a few dozen genes that tended to be dialed up or down in the olfactory neuroblastomas. The researchers also uncovered lower- or higher-than-usual levels of various proteins previously implicated in response or resistance to several chemotherapeutic drugs. Moreover, the molecular profiles made it possible to pick up alterations that might be amenable to targeted treatment, including Wnt signaling pathway changes.
"Considering the lack of standardized treatment guidelines for the treatment of this rare cancer, the potential advantages of targeted therapy approaches, and the paucity of data exploring the molecular pathogenesis of [olfactory neuroblastoma], we explored potentially targetable biomarkers/pathways in a cohort of recurrent or metastatic [olfactory neuroblastomas], using [a] multi-platform molecular profiling approach," the authors noted.
If you have olfactory neuroblastoma, you should ask your doctor if you are a candidate for this typeof treatment.
Joel T. Nowak, MA, MSW wrote this Post. Joel is the CEO/Executive Director of Cancer ABCs. He is a Cancer Thriver diagnosed with five primary cancers - Thyroid, Metastatic Prostate, Renal, Melanoma, and the rare cancer Appendiceal cancer.
