10 distinct types of breast cancer identified, could lead to more targeted treatment

New research from the University of British Columbia and the British Columbia Cancer Agency reveals breast cancer genes that could change the way the disease is diagnosed and treated. The team and their collaborators analyzed the DNA and RNA of 2,000 breast tumor samples. This large number of samples allowed researchers to spot new patterns in the data. The researchers were able to classify breast cancer into 10 subtypes grouped by common genetic features, which could lead to more tailored treatments. They also discovered several genes that had never been linked to breast cancer previously and revealed the relationship between these genes and known cell signaling pathways that control cell growth and division.