Genomic scars as biomarkers of homologous recombination deficiency and drug response in breast and ovarian cancers.

ABSTRACT: Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and platinum-based chemotherapies have been found to be particularly effective in tumors that harbor deleterious germline or somatic mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, the products of which contribute to the conservative homologous recombination repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Nonetheless, several setbacks in clinical trial settings have highlighted some of the issues surrounding the investigation of PARP inhibitors, especially the identification of patients who stand to benefit from such drugs. One potential approach to finding this patient subpopulation is to examine the tumor DNA for evidence of a homologous recombination defect. However, although the genomes of many breast and ovarian cancers are replete with aberrations, the prese

SUBMITTER: Watkins JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4053155 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature