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Research summary

Novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers for treatment decisions in breast and ovarian cancer

Breast Despite favorable 5-year survival rates, approximately 20% of breast cancer and 30% of early-stage ovarian cancer patients develop recurrence within five years after initial diagnosis. Additionally, there is currently no effective way to distinguish patients with varying clinical outcomes or may benefit from adjuvant treatment after surgery.

We hypothesize that for most patients, the genetic makeup of the primary tumor can predict aggressive tumor features that determine whether relapse may occur. To test this hypothesis, we studied the genetic signatures of a large cohort of breast and ovarian tumors and identified several potential novel biomarkers that can predict aggressive tumor behavior.

Our specific objectives are:

1. to determine whether altered protein levels of the candidate biomarkers are associated with ovarian and breast cancer-specific survival, and different ovarian cancer histotypes.
    
2. to define the tumorigenic and therapeutic potential of candidate biomarkers using patient-derived cancer cells and mouse models.

Our result will allow future improvement of the molecular classification of ovarian tumors in different histotype. Importantly, our work will shed light on the role of the identified biomarkers in tumor behavior and may provide valuable information for treatment strategies and guide decision-making process for breast and ovarian cancer treatment.

Research tools and resources

We use several molecular biology technologies to study tumor biology, including SNP-array, gene expression microarrays, RNA-Seq, DNA-Seq, DNA methylation, FISH, immunohistochemistry, cell transfection, and qPCR. In addition to clinical breast and ovarian tumor samples, we also use tumor cell lines, primary cells and mouse xenografts as model systems

Current group members

Khalil Helou, Professor (Team Leader)
Per Karlsson, Professor (Oncologist)
Aniko Kovacs, Associate Professor (Pathologist)
Anna Fäldt Beding, PhD Student
Ella Ittner, PhD Student
Hugo Swenson, PhD Student
Luaay Aziz, PhD Student
Lucas Werner, PhD student
Elisabeth Werner Rönnerman, MD, PhD Student (Pathologist)
Prajakta Hatekar, Research Assistant

Selected publications

1. 
   Biermann J, Nemes S, Parris TZ, Engqvist H, Rönnerman EW, Kovács A, Karlsson P, Helou K. Genomics. 2019 Jun 28. pii: S0888-7543(19)30225-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.06.029.
    
2. 
   Biermann J, Langen B, Nemes S, Holmberg E, Parris TZ, Werner Rönnerman E, Engqvist H, Kovács A, Helou K, Karlsson P.  Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 2019 Apr 2. doi: 10.1002/gcc.22757. [Epub ahead of print].
    
3. 
   Biermann J, Parris TZ, Nemes S, Danielsson A, Engqvist H, Werner Rönnerman E, Forssell-Aronsson E, Kovács A, Karlsson P, Helou K.  Breast Cancer Res. 2018 Aug 9;20(1):96. doi: 10.1186/s13058-018-1022-y.
    
4. 
   Biermann J, Nemes S, Parris TZ, Engqvist H, Rönnerman EW, Forssell-Aronsson E, Steineck G, Karlsson P, Helou K.  Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2017 Nov;26(11):1619-1628. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0606.
    
5. 
   Parris TZ., Kovacs A, Hajizadeh S, Nemes S, Semaan M, Levin M, Karlsson P, Helou K. Oncogenesis. 2014 Mar 24;3:e95. doi: 10.1038/oncsis.2014.8.
    
6. 
   Parris TZ, Kovács A, Aziz L, Hajizadeh S, Nemes S, Semaan M, Forssell-Aronsson E, Karlsson P, Helou K. Int J Cancer. 2014 Apr 1;134(7):1617-29. doi: 10.1002/ijc.28497.
    
7. 
   Nemes S, Danielsson A, Parris TZ, Miao Jonasson J, Bulow E, Karlsson P, Steineck G, Helou K. Genes, chromosomes & cancer 2013 ;52(11):1007-16.
    
8. 
   Shubbar E, Kovacs A, Hajizadeh S, Parris TZ, Nemes S, Gunnarsdottir K, Einbeigi Z, Karlsson P, Helou K.  BMC cancer 2013, 13:1.
    
9. 
   Nemes S, Parris TZ, Danielsson A, Kannius-Janson M, Jonasson JM, Steineck G, Helou K. Genes, chromosomes & cancer 2012, 51(1):77-82.
    
10. 
    Parris TZ, Danielsson A, Nemes S, Kovacs A, Delle U, Fallenius G, Mollerstrom E, Karlsson P, Helou K. Clin Cancer Res 2010, 16(15):3860-3874.