Microarray to monitor gene expression in breat tumors

In Western countries, about 1 of 10 women will suffer from breast carcinoma. Despite considerable advances in surgical techniques and in treatments (radio-, chemo-, and hormonotherapy), the mortality due to this pathology is still high, concerning about 40% of patients. In most cases, the death results from the dissemination of cancer cells and their proliferation in secondary sites (metastasis).

To ensure a better diagnosis, characterization, and treatment of breast tumors, new approaches are needed besides the classical clinicopathological analysis. They should mainly help the clinician to prognose the evolution of tumors, including their metastasis sites, as well as to predict the response of these tumors to various therapies.

Recent advances have shown that the expression of dozens of genes changes during breast tissue transformation and tumor progression. This project aims to develop a fast, reliable and low cost analysis tool to simultaneously measure the expression level these genes.

We believe that, at the present time, the only analysis tool allowing these requirements is a breast cancer-specific DNA chip. The project consists in the elaboration of low density microarray, bearing about 130 capture probes highly specific of mRNA whose expression has been shown to vary in breast cancer.