Two Common Genes May Decrease Cancer Survival Women with breast cancer who have certain variations in drug metabolizing genes may be less likely to survive than other patients, Duke University researchers reported here at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting. Almost everyone carries the two genes, which play a role in the breakdown of chemotherapy drugs. A third gene may also be implicated in survival, said lead investigator William Petros, director of the clinical pharmacology lab at Duke's Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. The work is groundbreaking because ``there are very few examples, perhaps if any, where you could predict drug metabolism and patient survival in a cancer population,'' Petros said. He and his colleagues examined stored blood samples from 86 women with breast cancer who came to the medical center between 1988 and 1991. None of the women had received chemotherapy before, and all gave samples before they began their treatment. The researchers analyzed the women's DNA and found that women with variations in the CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genes (common in most people) were not able to metabolize the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide. To be an effective tumor-killer, cyclophosphamide needs to be metabolized. So these women had high blood concentrations of the drug, but it was not active. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.