[Genome research and anticancer chemotherapy].

ABSTRACT

Worldwide research on the human genome is having a major impact on medical science and advanced medicine, although the detailed function and interaction of most genes remain unclear. The elucidation of human genome data makes it possible to take global views of biological processes and characteristics of cancer and individual drug response. This brings a number of new challenges such as genome based drug development and tailored cancer chemotherapy based on the individual genomic make-up. When a disease gene is identified, truly effective drugs targeting the genes can be developed. When biological characteristics such as polymorphism and gene expression profiles are closely related to drug response, an individually optimized drug therapy can be realized. cDNA microarray technology and new high-throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) screening offer great hope for such a global view by providing a systematic way to survey DNA and RNA variation. Evolutionary engineering techniques continue to be developed, which significantly promotes studies to understand molecular mechanisms causing diseases, novel disease genes, and genes related to drug response. Such progress in genome research and the functional analysis may revolutionize the anticancer chemotherapy world. The possible contribution of genome research to anticancer chemotherapy and problems of the day are reviewed herein.