Analyzing the complete genome of tumors in women suffering from breast cancer is the first carried out by French researchers. Patients, resistant to conventional treatments, have found an alternative.
Personalized medicine is not just a concept. Choosing treatment based on the genomic profile of a tumor is not science fiction. A team of French researchers has just provided proof that a tailor-made treatment for cancer is both feasible and relevant. It’s a first !
A complete genome analysis
The SAFIR01 study, coordinated by Professor Fabrice André at Gustave Roussy and promoted by UNICANCER, the results of which have just been published in Lancet Oncology, made it possible to analyze the entire genome of the tumors of 423 patients suffering from advanced breast cancer. “Until now, genomic profiles have only analyzed a limited number of genes. In fact, we risked missing out on a mutation and therefore a therapeutic opportunity, ”explains Prof. Fabrice André, oncologist at Gustave Roussy. “For the first time, we demonstrate that extended tumor genome analysis technologies, by identifying rare and frequent mutations, can guide patients with metastatic breast cancer towards more targeted therapies. Thus, we truly validate the feasibility of the concept of personalized medicine in clinical practice. Women who did not respond to conventional treatments were thus able to find an alternative.
13% of women received targeted treatment
Routine extensive tumor genome analysis is therefore not out of reach. However, the SAFIR 01 study shows that it is not feasible in all cancer patients. In this case, out of the 423 patients included in the trial, genome analysis was feasible in two thirds of them. In addition, in 39% of the patients, the identified genetic mutation was rare and there was no treatment. “In the end, 55 women, or 13% of the patients in the study and 28% of those who presented a genomic abnormality of interest for which there is a targeted treatment, were offered a treatment in clinical development. This underlines the need to increase the number of clinical trials that evaluate targeted therapies, our goal being to be able to offer this type of treatment to 30% of patients and to include them in ongoing clinical trials ”comments Fabrice André.
This first major step taken by personalized medicine should contribute to the multiplication of clinical trials. In particular, studies should be carried out soon on lung cancer. This is the 1er effect of SAFIR but, it is probably not the only one. Identifying rare genetic mutations should also encourage the industry to conduct research in order to find treatments for patients in the deadlock.
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