“We must create and we must innovate. It is an innate human desire to seek a newness and to realize progress. It is this very desire that motivates our work… that makes tomorrow all the more better.” ~ Toshiba 2014 Regional Winners
Unlike, current biomedical technology, which does not offer many preventative measures for breast cancer aside from a prophylactic mastectomy our treatment option: ~ provides patients a means of reversing the silencing of the tumor suppressor genes, after a positive BRCA mutation, and prevents the onset of breast cancer. ~ does not allow resistance to be developed in patients as is the case in some patients who are treated with epigenetic drug therapies. ~ reduces the anxiety and apprehension associated with a positive BRCA epimutation test result and decreases the likelihood that patients will pursue hormonal therapies or surgical procedures to reduce the probability for the onset of breast cancer. ~ reduces the cost patients diagnosed with a BRCA gene epimutation spend on genetic counseling.
Because 55 to 65% percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation and about 45% of women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 mutation develop breast cancer during their lives and having a harmful BRCA epimutation is associated with an increased risk in developing other cancers, including ovarian and pancreatic cancer: ~ a method to reverse abnormal DNA methylation of these genes to reactivate the tumor suppressor genes would affect a significant number of people and save many lives. ~ this technology can be used to prevent the onset of various cancers with only minor adjustments to the specific enzyme used and the engineered zinc fingers.
|