Drugs and Biomarkers

Test results interpretation for chemotherapeutic drugs

Interpretation of the results of the tests in the molecular profiling panel is informed by published clinical research studies that demonstrated an association of candidate biomarkers with response to drug treatment. Biomarkers correlated with response to chemotherapeutic agents commonly employed in ovarian cancer treatment are listed below in the Table. Included here are some of the markers that are comprised in the Clearity Tumor Molecular Profile; others will be incorporated into the profiling panel in the future. These markers were identified following a comprehensive literature review that surveyed published clinical research studies for correlations of the expression of tumor protein/mRNA or genomic mutations with response to drug treatment (or progression-free and overall survival following chemotherapy). Only biomarkers that have reproducibly significant associations with clinical responses to the indicated chemotherapy are included in this table (see Methods more details). To learn more about each drug and biomarker, or to view the literature support for each biomarker- drug response association, please click on the drug class of interest in the table or on the links in the right hand panel.

List of Therapeutic Options and Associated Response Biomarkers*
Drug Class Drug Sensitivity Resistance Cancer
Platinum Carboplatin
Cisplatin
BRCA1 mutation

p21
ERCC1
BRCA1
Bcl-xL
Bcl-2
MT
Ovarian
Taxanes Paclitaxel
Docetaxel
BRCA1 TUBB3
PGP
Survivin
ESR1
Ovarian

Breast
Nab-paclitaxel SPARC   Head & Neck
Nucleoside Analogs Gemcitabine ENT1
DCK
HuR
RRM1
RRM2
Pancreatic
Ovarian
Lung
Topo I Inhibitors Topotecan
Irinotecan
TOP1   Ovarian
Colon
Topo II Inhibitors Doxorubicin
Etoposide
TOP2A PGP Ovarian
Fluoropyrimidines 5-FU   TS Colon, Gastric
Capecitabine TP DPD
EGFR
Colon, Lung, Breast
Anti-folates Pemetrexed   TS Lung, Mesothelioma

*Response prediction markers for each drug class were identified by searching for relevant clinical research reports in the PubMed database. Click here for more detailed methods. Correlation (i.e., sensitivity or resistance) is indicated for high marker expression. Evidence for cancer type(s) other than ovarian is provided for the indicated biomarkers when no or limited clinical evidence for ovarian cancer exists. This literature survey was supported in part by the California Ovarian Cancer Awareness Program.