使用對比基因雜交微陣列技術,研究人員將可以進一步了解間皮瘤,這是一種在胸部、腹腔和心臟周圍發生的癌癥.

這種癌癥通常是由于暴露于石棉所導致的.由于澳大利亞在20世紀中期發達的石棉開采與制造活動,這個國家的間皮瘤發病率位居世界首位.在過去20年中該病發病率增加了3倍.診斷較為困難,以至于許多患者直到疾病晚期才得以鑒別.

這種新型對比基因雜交微陣列技術是由Agilent技術公司研制開發的,能夠幫助研究人員快速可靠的鑒別出腫瘤細胞中的基因改變.科學家相信,特異性基因改變也許伴隨疾病的發生與進展.

澳大利亞Peter MacCallum癌癥中心的Andrew Holloway醫生說:"Agilent公司的對比基因雜交微陣列技術將幫助我們研究整個基因組,這在以前的基因研究中是不可能的.在完成的時候,這項計劃將產生世界上最大的間皮瘤數據庫.我們非常樂觀,那將幫助我們更好地理解與解釋這種災難性疾病."【本文由美迪醫療網成揚編譯】

Identifying Genetic Changes in Mesothelioma Cells
 
Using a comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) microarray technology, researchers will attempt to better understand mesothelioma, a cancer found in the lining of the chest, the abdominal cavity, and around the heart.

The cancer is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. Due to Australia’s active mining and manufacturing of asbestos in the mid-1900s, the country has the highest incidence of mesothelioma in the world. Rates of the disease have tripled in the past 20 years, and are expected to peak about 2010. Diagnosis is difficult, so patients are often not identified until the condition is advanced.

The new CGH microarray techniques, developed by Agilent Technologies (Palo Alto, USA), will allow researchers to rapidly and reliably identify genetic changes in tumor cells. Scientists believe that specific genetic changes may accompany the onset and progression of the disease.

“Agilent’s CGH technology will allow us to study the entire genome in a manner that hasn’t been possible in previous genomic research,” said Dr. Andrew Holloway, of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center (Melbourne, Australia). “Upon completion, this project will produce the largest data set of its kind on mesothelioma in the world. We are very optimistic that it will give us a much clearer understanding and interpretation of this devastating disease.”