More specifically, the Brugge and Livingston labs are working together to identify molecular events that facilitate the emergence of BRCA1 breast cancer in an ostensibly normal mammary gland. In particular, they are searching for evidence that, on their way to reaching a fully cancerous state, a small fraction of BRCA1 mutation-bearing breast cells acquire new molecular abnormalities that can be accurately detected. At least some of these abnormalities are likely to serve as predictors of a cancerous outcome for the affected cells. These two lab groups aim to develop non- or minimally invasive methods that permit one to detect and eliminate these pre-cancerous cells, thereby reducing the risk of developing BRCA1 breast cancer. Given current knowledge, it seems likely that at least some of these predicted, BRCA1-associated abnormalities could also provide new insights that lead to novel approaches to BRCA1 breast cancer treatment.
Harvard Breast Cancer Cell Biologist and Institute of Cancer Research Breast Cancer Endocrinologist Named 2014 Susan G. Komen Brinker Awardees for Scientific Distinction, Business Wire
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140908005156/en/Harvard-Breast-Cancer-Cell-Biologist-Institute-CancerAwards & Recognition: July 2015, Harvard Medical School
https://hms.harvard.edu/news/awards-recognition-july-2015Penn Medicine
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/2015/07/basser/Boston.com
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2015/10/28/mit-and-dana-farberharvard-cancer-center-received-20-million-for-cancer-researchThe Center for BRCA Research is addressing key questions: What are the optimal combinations of PARP inhibitors and other therapeutic agents? What are the determinants of BRCAness in diverse diseases such as prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and ovarian cancer? What are the effects of heterogeneity in BRCA-related cancers? Can we develop molecular markers of response and resistance to PARP inhibitors? Our laboratory seeks to identify, develop, and optimize new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of BRCA cancer. We use synthetic lethal concepts developed by UCSF scientists to optimize the use of inhibitors that can increase the efficacy of anticancer agents by targeting DNA-repair enzymes in the Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family; develop combination approaches to overcome resistance; and develop novel approaches. We will also apply the knowledge we gain to those tumors with BRCAness— perhaps up to 25% of human cancers— and develop biomarkers to identify such tumors.
AACR journal Cancer Discovery, September 2017
http://cancerdiscovery.aacrjournals.org/content/7/9/937?iss=9AACR journal Cancer Discovery, September 2017
http://cancerdiscovery.aacrjournals.org/content/7/9/999.longUCSF center adds to revolution of care for BRCA carriers, Hem Onc Today, March 2016
http://www.healio.com/hematology-oncology/breast-cancer/news/online/%7Bdd278b47-28ae-416b-b4e4-a7eebfb2fc9a%7D/ucsf-center-adds-to-revolution-of-care-for-brca-carriersWall Street Journal, February 2016
http://www.wsj.com/articles/brca-clinics-expand-further-beyond-breast-cancer-1456170654BusinessWire, October 2015
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151001006411/en/Counsyl-Offers-Free-Genetic-Cancer-Screening-WomenOnc Live, August 2015
http://www.onclive.com/web-exclusives/molecular-imaging-may-help-tailor-breast-cancer-therapiesSF Gate, June 2014
http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/For-cancer-specialists-disease-can-make-them-5543259.phpUCSF News, November 2011
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/11/10939/scientists-discover-mechanism-tamoxifen-resistance-and-how-defeat-itUCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Impact Grants, UCSF News, March 2016
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2016/03/402191/cancer-center-awards-first-impact-grants-high-risk-high-reward-projectsPRNewswire, March 2016
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ucsf-and-berkeley-lights-collaborate-on-single-cell-genomics-300233154.htmlWall Street Journal, February 2016
http://www.wsj.com/articles/brca-clinics-expand-further-beyond-breast-cancer-1456170654SF Gate, February 2016
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Biden-visits-UCSF-to-talk-with-cancer-survivors-6858318.phpUCSF News, February 2016
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2016/02/401826/vp-joe-biden-visits-ucsf-advance-national-cancer-moonshot-initiativeUCSF News, June 2015
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2015/06/129966/ashworth-receives-award-cancer-nonprofitSF Gate, January 2015
http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Director-Alan-Ashworth-seeks-to-raise-UCSF-cancer-6025797.phpSan Francisco Business Times, March 2014
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2014/03/17/uc-san-francisco-picks-alan-ashworth-to-head.htmlTo achieve this, we will conduct the first extensive genomic analyses of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers from women who carry BRCA mutations. This study will involve deep whole genome sequencing of tumor and normal tissue to identify the key somatic changes in these cancers. We will further extend our analyses to conduct studies of the mechanistic dynamics of tumor evolution to understand the biology of tumor growth so that targets for potential new therapies can be developed. We will also apply, for the first time, an ultrasensitive method for quantitating circulating tumor DNA from samples derived from patients with BRCA1 and BRCA 2. This method, developed at Stanford, will detect specific “signatures” associated with BRCA1/2hereditary cancers learned from our earlier work. This interdisciplinary and collaborative work will further elucidate the understanding of BRCA mutations and apply methods that will be routinely applied clinically to detect and monitor cancers, thereby facilitating personalized cancer therapy for patients with hereditary cancers. Together with our research partners at UCSF and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, we hope to advance our abilities for the prevention, early detection, treatment and cure of hereditary cancers.
Multi-omic tumor data reveal diversity of molecular mechanisms that correlate with survival
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-06921-8Following Many Paths to Beat Cancer
http://med.stanford.edu/content/dam/sm/cancer/documents/newsletters/SCINews-Spring2015-FINAL.pdfNew advances have scientists banking on the idea that the most revealing medical test might be a single drop of your own blood
http://time.com/3960519/how-blood-tests-are-changing-medicine/