Mar 20, 2012

Singapore - 'East Asian gene' resistant to cancer drugs

SINGAPORE: Scientists in Singapore have uncovered the reason some patients are resistant to some cancer drugs.

They pin it down to a particular gene in people of East Asian descent.

The team, led by researchers from Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, has discovered that about 15 per cent of East Asians display this gene.

It is estimated some 14,000 newly-diagnosed leukaemia and lung cancer patients each year will carry the gene variant.

But the scientists found they could overcome the problem by adding a new class of drugs to current therapies.

Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School senior vice dean Patrick Casey said: "This discovery allows one to begin to match appropriate medications to patients very quickly."

The next step is to bring the new discovery to clinical trials.

- CNA/wk
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