The clinical impact of the Human Genome Project: inherited variants in cancer care

Treatment options for early breast cancer in elderly women

In clinical practice, approximately 50% of new cases of breast cancer occur in women over the age of 65 years, although very few elderly women have been enrolled in the numerous randomized trials conducted so far. Notwithstanding less aggressive biologic features compared with younger patients, breast cancer impacts on mortality of elderly women, especially if not adequately treated. As confirmed by meta-analyses, hormonal therapy is the most effective adjuvant measure for patients with localized disease, whereas the decrease in the benefit of cytotoxic treatment with increased risk of toxicity make the decision on when and how to administer it a major challenge for the medical oncologist. Careful evaluation of biological prognostic factors, performance status and geriatric parameters, such as functional independence, comorbidities and cognitive function of the patient, along with determination of her life expectancy and preferences, represent the relevant information on which the oncologist should ground their decision for integrated treatment with conservative surgery, radiotherapy and hormonochemotherapy in otherwise healthy women, or attenuated or palliative measures for the frail patients, in order to maximize the balance of benefits and toxicities. The aims of this review are to summarize the most relevant concepts for decision making in the clinical practice and discuss the results of recent research concerning the additional needs of elderly women with early breast cancer.

Epstein-Barr virus-transformation of B-cell lines in ovarian cancer patients: feasibility of genomic storage for unlimited use

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the current study is to test whether immortalized B-lymphocyte cell line via Ebstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformation is feasible and can be an unlimited source of genome wide study.

METHODS

We obtained peripheral whole blood from 5 ovarian cancer patients and immortalized the B-cell lines using EBV transformation. The success rate was analyzed and the bio-identity of the genome was performed using human leukocyte antigen (HLA) identity test.

RESULTS

EBV transformation was successful in all 5 cases (95% confidence interval, 46.3% to 100%). After cryopreservation of EBV-transformed B-cell lines and subsequent thawing, we observed that all cell lines were viable and proliferative. To check bio-identity, HLA-A, B, and DR were tested between the genome of the original samples and the transformed samples. The HLA typing revealed that all observed HLA-A, B, and DR type was identical in 5 cases before and after EBV-transformation.

CONCLUSION

The current results suggest that EBV-transformation of peripheral blood is an efficient tool in genome banking. The EBV-transformed B-cell lines may be a valuable resource of genome in multi-center translational research by the Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group.