Understanding the Molecular Epidemiology and Etiology of Cancer
The Chen Lab's goal is to understand the molecular epidemiology and etiology of certain cancers. Through molecular data such as from gene expression profiles, variations in SNPs and copy number, and tissue microarray data, we hope to determine the links between genetic and environmental factors and development of, and/or survival from, tobacco-related and hormone-related cancers.
Current studies include:
Oral Cancer: Molecular Profiles and Clinical Outcomes (Oralchip)
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with considerable mortality and morbidity. We are conducting a hospital-based clinical study to discover biomarkers that may improve diagnosis and prognosis of oral cancer. Our ultimate goals are to address the following clinically important questions.
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What determines which OSCC patients go on to develop local recurrence and/or second primary tumors, so that more aggressive medical treatment and/or surveillance can be offered selectively to these patients? |
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How can we identify those clinically node-negative OSCC patients who harbor occult nodal metastasis, patients who should undergo neck dissection while those without can be spared unnecessary surgery? |
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To what degree can molecular markers improve upon the prediction of survival based on the current staging system so that physicians can better individualize patients’ treatments? |
Molecular Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer (Enrich II)
Etrogen exposure increases the risk of endometrial cancer. However, the presence of risk factors such as unopposed estrogens or obesity are poor predictors of the likelihood of endometrial cancer. We are testing the hypothesis that the risk of developing endometrial cancer is related to variation in genes that encode for enzymes involved in making or breaking down estrogens, or in response to steroid hormones, or that repair DNA damage that comes from estrogen exposure.
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Molecular Epidemiology of Lung Cancer
Smoking is the biggest cause of lung cancer, which is the most common fatal cancer worldwide. However, most people who smoke do not develop lung cancer. Our goal is to figure out if certain people develop lung cancer because of a lower ability to repair DNA damage from smoking in their lungs. We are also exploring how this could be related to other risk factors for lung cancer, such as how often or how intensely somebody smokes, or by whether they eat a diet that has antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
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