@phdthesis{67640596133247c6bae7a42d1daa24dd,
title = "Landscaping the cell surface proteome of breast cancer: Following pathways through organelles to the plasma membrane",
abstract = "Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. It is most commonly treated by the surgical removal of the tumour in combination with (neo)-adjuvant therapy (hormone, chemo- or radio- therapy before or after surgery). However, a large number of patients are over treated, with approximately 60% being given adjuvant therapy when already cured by surgery alone. This causes many undesirable side effects and cost hence, there is great need for new diagnostic and prognostic methods to decide if patients are in need of adjuvant therapy. A number of prognostic and treatment predictive factors have been established such as tumour size, hormone receptor status, histological grade and age. Hereditary predisposition to developing cancer can be a factor, with several high penetrance genes identified such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes as well as many as a dozen lower risk genes that are however additive in effect. Molecular subtyping has significant prognostic value allowing the differentiation of several subtypes having unique survival outcomes, particularly for tumours highly responsive or nonresponsive to hormonal or targeted drug therapies. Currently the prognostic and treatment predictive factors are mainly based on the primary tumour status, even though the distant metastases are the main reason for breast cancer related deaths. Thus, there is need for novel approaches with higher specificity and sensitivity in newly developed targeted therapies. The aim of this thesis was to understand the changes in breast cancer tumour cells and tissues, by comparing protein expression levels in different conditions, using mass spectrometry. Attention was specifically on the analysis of patient samples, with pairs of primary tumours and metastases, in order to try to understand what happens to allow tumour cells to be able to metastasise and to identify novel molecular markers. Hence we also investigated the biological functions of proteins by integrating information about the processes and pathways in which these proteins take part in order to be able to better understand the contribution of different proteins to breast cancer development. Further we have explored molecular classification markers for breast cancer tumours into major intrinsic subtypes. Our results demonstrated a great overlap of subtypes, using gene expression and protein expression profiling. In conclusion, all our findings together show the great need for improved and early cancer detection and treatment as well as need for development and promises of personalized medicine.",
keywords = "Breast cancer, Proteomics",
author = "Emila Kurbasic",
note = "Defence details Date: 2017-09-29 Time: 09:00 Place: Lecture hall Lundmarksalen, Astronomihuset, S{\"o}lvegatan 27, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University LTH, Lund External reviewer Name: Vilanueva, Josep Title: Doktor Affiliation: Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain ---",
year = "2017",
month = sep,
day = "29",
language = "English",
isbn = "978-91-7753-393-1",
publisher = "Department of Immunotechnology, Lund University",
type = "Doctoral Thesis (compilation)",
school = "Department of Immunotechnology",
}