A heterogeneidade fenotípica intratumoral pode ter implicações no diagnóstico, terapêutica e prognóstico dos doentes oncológicos. A heterogeneidade intratumoral deve ser avaliada de forma objetiva para se averiguar o seu efeito na variabilidade clinico-patológica, agressividade, metastização e resposta à terapêutica dos tumores. No entanto, as metodologias e estratégias que têm sido utilizadas são muito diversificadas, incluindo métodos qualitativos e, recentemente, quantitativos.
Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in women, being 70%-80% of the tumors estrogen-receptor positive. One of the main therapeutic approaches applied is the use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs), since they decrease the synthesis of estrogens, which are necessary for the growth of this type of tumors. Although, despite its therapeutic success, the AIs used in the clinic induce some adverse effects, namely the occurrence of endocrine resistance.
O cancro de mama é a causa mais comum de morte por cancro em mulheres, sendo 70%-80% dos tumores recetor de estrogénio positivo. Uma das principais estratégias terapêuticas utilizadas é o uso de inibidores da aromatase (AIs), uma vez que diminuem a síntese de estrogénios necessários ao crescimento destes tumores. No entanto, apesar do seu sucesso terapêutico, os AIs utilizados na clínica induzem alguns efeitos adversos, nomeadamente o desenvolvimento de resistência endócrina.
This work was performed at Breast Cancer Research Laboratory, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. We employed the technique of laser capture microdissection to obtain selected chosen cells without contamination of other cells that could interfere with final results of molecular analysis. Results confirmed that genetic alterations at specific loci of 9p occur earlier than discernable morphological or histopathological alterations and the presence of genetic alterations within morphologically normal breast tissue adjacent to carcinoma foci was also assessed.
This work was performed at Breast Cancer Research Laboratory, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. We employed the technique of laser capture microdissection to obtain selected chosen cells without contamination of other cells that could interfere with final results of molecular analysis. Results confirmed that genetic alterations at specific loci of 9p occur earlier than discernable morphological or histopathological alterations and the presence of genetic alterations within morphologically normal breast tissue adjacent to carcinoma foci was also assessed.
