Background: In several clinical settings it is not trivial to make a decision with respect to the kind of cytostatic drug which should be applied for a cancer patient. Patient-tailored choice of medication could substantially improve therapy efficiency and outcome. Recording proteome alterations of cancer cells treated with cytostatic drugs allows us to predict drug effects as well as the potential development of drug resistance. Remarkably, the response of cancer cells to a given therapy has been demonstrated to be massively influenced by the chronic inflammatory state of the tumour and micro-environmental stromal cells.

Methods and Models: Molecular profiling (I, II) targeted analyses (III) and cell culture (IV). Various cancer cells are treated with metallo-organic anti-cancer drugs. Apoptosis and necrosis rates as well as cell cycle distribution of cells are determined by classical methods such as FACS (at St. Anna CCRI) and annexin V-propidium iodide staining. Blood samples are collected during anti-cancer therapies.

Aims: Improvement of anti-cancer therapies by patient stratification and monitoring drug effects during therapy.

Collaboration partners:

• Prof. DDr. Bernhard Keppler, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna

• Prof. Dr. Walter Berger, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna

• Prof. Dr. Margit Cichna-Markl, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna