2009 UALC
William Bennett, MD
City of Hope
Research Project:
DNA Methylation Changes in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells as Biomarkers of Lung Cancer
Summary:
Recent data has shown that tumor cells can avoid detection by the immune system by releasing factors that deflect or subvert immune responses. Dr. Bennett is investigating DNA modifications (methylation) associated with lung cancer that are found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, white blood cells involved in immune responses. The overall goal of this research is to develop a biomarkers that can be used in a blood test to diagnose lung cancer.
More Content:
Final Report
Dr. Bennett and his team identified candidate markers using datamining of previously published research. They were able to select and rank the most promising genes for methylation analysis using comparison with other recently published studies, and evaluate whether these markers could be used to identify lung cancer patients. Current analyses indicate that at least 25% of these genes show significant or substantial methylation differences between cases and controls. Studies are ongoing to evaluate the remaining candidate markers and validate these findings.