Source: University of Virginia

Researchers from the University of Virginia (UVA) have developed an algorithm that is designed to predict the best possible treatments for a particular tumor-type for individual patients. Dan Theodorescu, M.D., Ph.D., a UVA oncologist and cancer biologist, and Jae Lee, Ph.D., a computational biologist and bioinformatics statistician, have devised an algorithm that compares information on a tumor's molecular characteristics with information on which chemotherapy agents are most effective in treating those characteristics. The researchers found that their "coexpression extrapolation (COXEN) system" can accurately predict chemosensitivity for certain cancers. The researchers used 60 human cancer cell lines from the National Cancer Institute (NCI-60) to develop the algorithm.

Dr. Theodorescu said, "Even though this NCI cell set wasn't an exhaustive encyclopedia of cancer cells, we found we could use the available data to draw conclusions about other cell types we were exploring. The algorithm is a Rosetta stone for translating from the NCI-studied drugs to any other cell line or human tumor....We believe we have found an effective way to personalize cancer therapy."

Dr. Lee is developing a web-based COXEN system (http://www.coxen.org) so researchers and treating physicians can leverage his and Dr.Theodorescu's research in their own work.

Labels: cancer