Choosing the best cancer therapy.

How a cancer develops in the body does not depend on genes alone, it often depends on the extent to which they are translated into proteins. In order to analyze this reliably based on biopsies we are developing mass spectrometry further. We examine the entire protein ensemble in the tumor cells. The interplay and interactions with other cell components can reveal how doctors can treat the cancer in question better than genetic tests can. Why does a supposedly targeted drug work well in one patient but not at all in another? What indicates that the patient will relapse? We want to improve diagnostics.

The first step is to find answers in samples from patients with head and neck tumors. To this end, we have joined forces with four major research institutes in Berlin to form the MSTARS collaborative project. The long-term goal is to create a basis for personalized cancer treatments.

Image: Ausserhofer/MDC