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University of Florida physicians and researchers are collaborating to map the genes of different types of cancer, and then deliver medication to attack cancer at its source.

In late January, researchers in the new 网红黑料 Precision Cancer Care Program began sequencing the genes of lung and colon cancer tumors, forming the first center in the state to perform this testing for solid tumors. Program members include researchers and physicians from multiple UF departments, encompassing the and . By identifying particular gene mutations that drive lung and colon cancers, physicians can deliver better, more targeted treatments to those cancers.

When a patient receives traditional, intravenous chemotherapy, the chemotherapy targets all growing cells. It kills stomach cells, which is why some patients are nauseated. It attacks hair follicles, which is why patients often lose their hair. Pinning down what鈥檚 genetically distinct about a particular type of cancer allows physicians to deliver targeted therapy to the genes causing that cancer rather than target all living cells. This can reduce the side effects of what UF researcher , M.D., calls 鈥渋ndiscriminate鈥� chemotherapy.

鈥淢any of these new targeted therapies are pills and not liquid, intravenous medicines. They tend to be much less toxic or dangerous than traditional chemotherapy and are used with a much higher degree of certainty that it鈥檚 working,鈥� said George, who is research director of the joint oncology program at the .

The UF researchers鈥� work builds upon previous discoveries in breast cancer research, George said. Scientists now know that breast cancer is actually composed of at least three genetically different types of cancer. Each type has particular genetic quirks that have changed the way doctors treat patients with one of these certain sub-types of breast cancer.

The UF team wants to apply the same kind of scrutiny to lung and colon cancer tumors. Different types of cancer require different kinds of treatment because each cancer鈥檚 genetic mutations are unique. These genes are even unique within each individual鈥檚 cancer, even if he or she has the same type of lung cancer, for example, as another person.

鈥淯nder the microscope, every patient鈥檚 cancer looks pretty much the same, so we treat it based on what it looks like. If it looks like lung cancer, we treat the patient for lung cancer; if it looks like colon cancer 鈥� you get the idea,鈥� George said. 鈥淏ut we realized you can鈥檛 judge a book by its cover. We took that principle from breast cancer and we started looking under the hood.鈥�

For example, recent research suggests that although we have thousands of genes, there are only about a dozen genes primarily involved in colorectal cancer, George said. Knowing this, researchers can determine the problematic genes in a patient鈥檚 colorectal cancer case.

鈥淐ertain patients鈥� cancers have a different series of on and off switches stuck in the on or off position, which is what makes their cancer distinct,鈥� George said. 鈥淜nowing which of the switches are stuck can help us target medication or treatment in a very precise manner.鈥�

These genes are sequenced using a new kind of testing called next generation sequencing. , M.D., medical director of the 网红黑料 Pathology Laboratories, said the team began performing next generation sequencing for cancer testing in late January, in collaboration with the 网红黑料 Precision Cancer Care Program. This kind of sequencing allows the team to test for multiple gene mutations in one group of tests. Allan said the results seen by physicians in the molecular diagnostics laboratory are very interesting.

鈥淎pproximately 50 percent of these tumors have potentially actionable mutations, which means there鈥檚 some kind of drug therapy in the pipeline, either in clinical trial or currently available and in use, that can target that particular mutation,鈥� Allan said.

George said these kinds of drug therapies tend to be less toxic than traditional chemotherapies.

鈥淲hen we prescribe these to a particular patient with a particular genetic fingerprint of their cancer, we鈥檙e doing so with a very high certainty that it will work,鈥� George said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 still not 100 percent, but it鈥檚 so much better than we鈥檝e ever had before.鈥�

George said the team of UF researchers and physicians hopes to soon extend the sequencing to more types of cancer, including ovarian, melanoma, pancreatic and immune system cancers.

鈥淭here鈥檚 tremendous urgency for our patients. None of us are comfortable with the status quo,鈥� George said.