Rutgers Cancer Researchers Examine Gene Fusion and Treatment Implications for Breast Cancer

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Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Researchers Awarded $240K to Explore Breast Cancer Treatment Implications in Gene Fusion Study

Newswise New Brunswick, N.J., January 28, 2014 The Breast Cancer Research Foundation has awarded a pair of investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey a one-year, $240,000 grant to examine treatment implications for a genetic variation found in a quarter of Caucasians and in a small percentage of Caucasian breast cancer patients.

Arnold J. Levine, PhD, a resident member at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and professor of pediatrics and biochemistry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; and Kim M. Hirshfield, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist at the Cancer Institute and assistant professor of medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, are building on previous research that led to the identification of a new gene product as a result of two cancer-causing genes being fused together.

Drs. Levine and Hirshfield are examining the pairing of the KANSL1 and ARL17A genes. KANSL1 is part of a protein complex that regulates tumor suppression function and DNA repair proteins involved in cancer formation and cancer cell behavior. ARL17A is involved in movement of proteins within a cell and in turn, affects cell function.

When the two genes are combined, the resulting fusion gene presents itself as a genetic variation in the human genome in one quarter of Caucasian populations. In particular, the gene product was detected in 12 percent of breast cancers in this group. The new fusion genes impact on protein activity further sheds light on why some cancers including breast have difficulty maintaining the integrity of their DNA. As a result, two sets of drugs were identified that could be useful in the treatment of cancers with the fusion variation. The grant will support laboratory study of these agents and their impact on targeted therapy.

The award period runs through October 1.

About Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey (www.cinj.org) is the states first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. As part of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey is dedicated to improving the detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer, and to serving as an education resource for cancer prevention. Physician-scientists at the Cancer Institute engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice, quite literally bringing research to life. To make a tax-deductible gift to support the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, call 732-235-8614 or visit http://www.cinj.org/giving. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheCINJ.

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides the highest quality cancer care and rapid dissemination of important discoveries into the community. Flagship Hospital: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. System Partner: Meridian Health (Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center, Southern Ocean Medical Center, and Bayshore Community Hospital). Major Clinical Research

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Rutgers Cancer Researchers Examine Gene Fusion and Treatment Implications for Breast Cancer