TRAIL-2 expression associated with breast cancer survival

TRAIL is a member of cytokines family of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) . TRAIL family of cytokines induces apoptosis in a wide variety of cells. TRAIL-2, a member of this TRAIL group has remarkable ability to induce apoptosis. High expression of TRAIL-R2, has been shown to be associated with a decrease the survival rates of breast cancer patients according to a study published by Yale Cancer Center researchers in Clinical Cancer Research.

Analyzing 20-year follow-up data from breast cancer patients, using an automated quantitative analysis system (AQUATM) to review tissue micro-array specimens, the researchers identified increased intensity of TRAIL receptor expression. AQUATM scores were correlated with clinical and pathologic variables. In addition, TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 expression were both studied on 95 unmatched normal breast specimens.

Yale Researchers concluded that while TRAIL-R1 expression was not associated with survival, high TRAIL-R2 expression strongly correlated with decreased survival.

"A number of TRAIL receptor targeting therapies are currently in clinical development. As with other targeted therapies, it is important to determine which patients are more likely to respond to these therapies," said Harriet Kluger, MD, author on the study and Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Section of Medical Oncology at Yale School of Medicine. "AQUATM allows us to stratify patients based on expression levels of drug targets in an automated, unbiased fashion. This will help us reach our ultimate goal of practicing personalized medicine, by treating patients based on characteristics of individual tumors,"

The AQUATM system measures and localizes specific variations in protein expression within tissue automatically, with a high level of precision. The multi-tissue proteomic analysis system combines fluorescence-based imaging with automated microscopy and high-throughput tissue microarray technologies. HistoRx has exclusively licensed the AQUATM technology that was developed by David Rimm, M.D., Ph.D. and Robert Camp, M.D., of the Yale University School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center.


Ref: Clinical Cancer Research 2005;11(14) July 15, 2005

Cancer terms:
Biopsy: Example: Ms. B is having a biopsy of the breast at the site of abnormality today. This means removal of a small part of the tumor or abnormality to determine the nature of the condition the patient is having. This removed piece is studied under microscope, to determine if the abnormality is benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Biopsy also give further information as to the exact nature of the condition, for example if the abnormality is determined to be cancer, examination of the specimen can often determine from which type of cell and what type of tissue the cancer is originating. This is important to make treatment decisions. See cancer terms for more cancer related terms.