August 30, 2018- Mutations in MUC16 Gene May Help Define Immunotherapy Strategies for Gastric Cancer, Study Suggests
Understanding the mutation in the MUC16 gene may be vital to help predict the outcome of the disease as well as possible treatments available for gastric cancer patients. The MUC16 mutation is thought to increase cancer cell’s susceptibility to immunotherapies. Although the genetics of gastric cancer varies greatly from person to person, mutations in the MUC16 gene are very common in gastric cancer as well as other types of cancer. Researchers at Wake Forest University analyzed this mutation and found that MUC16 mutations affects 38.4% of stomach cancer. Moreover, samples containing MUC16 were 1.87 times more likely to have additional mutations. However, patients with the MUC16 mutation lived longer than those with the unaltered gene with a 39% increase in survival. The researchers believe that the use of therapeutic regimens to abrogate immune inhibition may be beneficial for patients with gastric cancer who have MUC16 mutations.