In addition , the genes differentially expressed only in African‐Americans or European‐ Americans were analyzed using a drug‐response prediction model called the Connectivity Map . The two gene subsets predicted similar resistance / sensitivity for NSCLC from African‐ Americans and European‐Americans to some drugs . For other drugs , the predictions varied by race , with NSCLC from African‐Americans predicted to be resistant to 53 drugs to which NSCLC from European‐Americans was sensitive . Among these drugs was irinotecan , which is a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic used for treating certain types of cancer .
" This study helps close a gap in our knowledge of which genes are expressed in lung cancers from African‐Americans , revealing clear differences in lung cancer biology between African‐ Americans and European‐Americans ," said Mitchell . " By understanding these racial differences in gene expression , we can account for how they may contribute to disease progression and treatment response and , ultimately , help reduce some health outcome disparities ."
According to Ryan , these data are first‐of‐a‐kind for lung cancer and , therefore , they need to be replicated in larger cohorts of patients . Another limitation that she noted was that the data from the drug‐response prediction model are just predictions and that additional detailed work , both in the laboratory and within the clinical trial setting , will be needed to verify the predictions . However , the work is a step forward for precision medicine analyses of lung cancer in minority populations , she said .
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Materials provided by American Association for Cancer Research . Note : Content may be edited for style and length .
Journal Reference :
1 . Khadijah A . Mitchell , Adriana Zingone , Leila Toulabi , Jacob Boeckelman , Bríd M . Ryan . Comparative Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Coding and Noncoding RNA Differences in NSCLC from African Americans and European Americans . Clinical Cancer Research , 2017 ; 23 ( 23 ): 7412 DOI : 10.1158 / 1078- 0432 . CCR-17-0527
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American Association for Cancer Research . " Lung cancers in some African-Americans , European-Americans may have biological differences ." ScienceDaily . ScienceDaily , 1 December 2017 . < www . sciencedaily . com / releases / 2017 / 12 / 171201122940 . htm >.
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