Australian and New Zealand Cancer Researchers Use Mathematics to Help Cancer Outcomes

Cristin Print presented his mathematical research today at the Australia and New Zealand joint scientific meeting for the Medical Oncology Group of Australia and the Faculty of Radiation Oncology, held in Christchurch NZ.

Cristin Print, associate professor of clinical molecular medicine and pathology at University of Auckland, discussed the explosion of biological techniques over the last four years that have focused on identifying genes within cancer cells which predict a better outcome from cancer treatment.

This is felt by many to be the ‘holy grail’ in cancer research and the most likely method to deliver the much elusive ‘cure for cancer’. This had so far been surprisingly disappointing in meeting expectations.

He suggested that a more promising way forward might be to identify gene pathways rather than individual genes, as the fate of cancer cells is not dependant on single molecules but rather depends upon the complex interactions of many molecules and pathways.

He highlighted the results of three large studies on breast cancer gene predictors in ER-positive (oestrogen receptor positive) breast cancer which all had discordant results.

Each study identified a number of different genes over-expressed by the cancer cells but there was very little overlap between the studies.

Sceptics said that this was because researchers had got it wrong, but Dr Print suggested that each study was correct but just identified different genes within the same pathways.

He felt that the best success will come from comparing in vitro and in vivo data sets. His group has already been doing this by building Bayesian networks which mathematically model cancer prognostication in a systems biology framework.

Stay posted to Virtual Medical Centre for more breaking news from the conference.