Researchers examine how genes and proteins affect therapeutic treatments

PHOENIX, Ariz. — July 7, 2011 — The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is presenting two key studies, including one today, at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer, July 3-7 in Amsterdam.

One study, presented July 4, involved a gene called GLI1, which may limit the effectiveness of the most common combination chemotherapy given to patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Another study, presented today, July 7, suggests that combination drug therapy may be needed to combat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) — the more common type of lung cancer — when patients have elevated levels of a protein called JAK2.

Both studies will be presented at the Amsterdam conference, which is sponsored by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). The association hosts an international lung cancer meeting every two years. Both studies also will be published in a special supplement of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.