Image: Malin Grönborg
Image: Malin Grönborg
Research group Cancer of the female genital tract is a major type of cancer worldwide with more than 1 million new cases every year. The three most common types of gynecological cancers are cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer, whereas vulvar and vaginal cancers are much rarer.
The human leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains (LRIG) gene family includes three genes, LRIG1, 2 and 3. Expression of the LRIG proteins is associated with prognosis in several types of human cancers, and cellular studies have shown that LRIG1 might predict sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy.
The aim of this study is to investigate the possible clinical application of the LRIG proteins and other molecular markers in gynecological cancers. The protein expression will be evaluated by immunohistochemistry and the possible association with prognosis will be studied in ovarian, vulvar, and vaginal cancer. In addition, next generation sequencing will be used to sequence the LRIG gene in cervical cancer where LRIG1 protein expression is known to predict prognosis, and to sequence the whole exome in a few carefully selected patients with vulvar cancer.
These analyses may provide data for development of personal medicine based on the specific tumor mutations found in a patient. Furthermore, a method where LRIG1 can be measured in blood has been developed and will be tested for possible clinical applications in serum from patients with cervical and ovarian cancer.
Finally, the predictive value of LRIG1 will be evaluated in patients with gynecological cancers that are treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting. The goal is to find clinical applications that improves diagnostic procedures and can help when individualizing treatment for patients with gynecological cancer.
