BRCA mutations could be exploited to treat drug-resistant cancers

New research conducted by a team at the Institute of Cancer Research (London, UK) has characterized the effects of BRCA reversion mutations – mutations that restore the activity of BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. The work – published this week in Cancer Discovery – could result in the development of immunotherapies designed to elicit immune responses against cancers with specific BRCA mutations.Platinum chemotherapy and PARP inhibitors – which target cancer cells with genetic mutations – are common treatment options for a variety of BRCA-mutated cancers. In some cases, cancers can become resistant to these therapies via the restoration of BRCA function....