Part I: In-depth Study of Tumor Sequencing Industry
The 21st century has been the century of biology, because of the improvement of people’s living standards, and the settlement of living problems. It also gave power to the health industry, and made it a sunrise industry forever.
Tumor sequencing is going to rise.
Gene mutation Catalyzes Tumor Formation
Human cell genes contain proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Proto-oncogene is a gene that is involved in cell proliferation and is highly conserved in evolution. When this type of gene mutates, it can improve the function of the gene and increase the product, which makes the cell proliferate and form the tumor.
Tumor suppressor genes, also known as anti-oncogenes, have the function of inhibiting cell proliferation in normal cells. When this type of gene mutates or its structure changes, its functions will be reduced or missing, and thus not capable of controlling the cell development, cell growth as well as cell differentiation and regulation. Under this circumstance, the cells will proliferate excessively, after which tumors will also be formed.
Tumors are Classified by Gene Mutations
Tumor is of great heterogeneity. Although patients may have the same type of tumor, gene mutations within the tumor cells that cause the disease may be far different. Therefore, the cancer cells in tumors are likely to have heterogeneity in functions.
Take non-small cell lung cancer as an example. Currently, it is found that about 25% of the patients have mutations of gene KRAS. While, other patients also have different mutations that lead to the mutation of common drive genes, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), V-RAF murine sarcoma virus proto-oncogene B1 (BRAF) gene, epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), etc.
For different individuals of mutant genes, there should be different targeted drugs and treatment strategies. We now already have successful cases in practical application. Dr. Nader Javadi is a leading tumor specialist in the forefront of “precision medical”.
He once treated patients (He accepted 25 such patients in 2014) who have been gave up by well-known cancer centers (including Anderson Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and so on) with phase iv (late stage) cancer using corresponding precise treatment based on different tumor specific genomic lesions of different patients. Only three months later, all patients lived longer than expected. Cancer cells in most of them decreased by 40％ to 60％, some even decreased by 90％.
Further analysis of Tumor Sequencing will be updated in Part II: In-depth Study of Tumor Sequencing Industry.
About Author
Creative Biolabs is a biotech service provider specialized in the field of antibody engineering, such as antibody maturation, next generation antibody sequencing, phage display screening, antibody production, etc.
