Researchers have discovered that cancer cells expressing Her2 gene are often sen

Question

Researchers have discovered that cancer cells expressing Her2 gene are often sensitive to the drug trastuzumab, but not cancer cells that lack Her2 expression. You have obtained a sample of mRNA isolated from a patient's breast tumor.   

a) Name an assay that you can perform with the sample to determine whether or not her doctor should recommend trastuzumab treatment.

b) What makes your assay specific for Her2?

c) Describe or sketch the possible assay results and corresponding treatment recommendation.

Explanation / Answer

An assay that can be performed with the sample to determine whether the traxtuzumab treatment can be done is the FISH assay or Fluorrescence insitu Hybridization. But this is time taking. So alternately another method is Reverse transcription quantitative PCR or RT qPCR is used successfully. .

b) RT qPCR uses PCR method to detect Her2 expression, from breast cancer tissue sample.Patients with tumors over express Her2 protein. Here this method uses mRNA to detect quantitatively the Her2 gene.

c)Trastuzumab , a combination of Herceptin and the chemotherapy medicine emtansine may be used.This inhibits the survival pathway making the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy more potent. Very good results are obtained if trastuzumab ,combined with a chemotherapy agent is used after surgery.

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