MUC4 Gene Polymorphism Detection for Diffuse Alveolar Damage Risk

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods fail to effectively determine the risk of diffuse alveolar damage, a serious side effect of anticancer drug therapy, particularly in Japanese patients, due to lack of identified gene polymorphisms associated with the condition, which complicates early differentiation from normal pneumonia and poses a high case fatality rate.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the detection of specific MUC4 gene polymorphisms, such as rs6805660 and rs62282486, to assess the risk of diffuse alveolar damage, allowing for the identification of patients at risk before or during anticancer drug administration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If anticancer drugs are administered to treat cancer, then cancer treatment efficacy is improved, but the risk of diffuse alveolar damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecancer treatment efficacyVSAvoiddiffuse alveolar damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by detecting MUC4 gene polymorphisms before administering anticancer drugs to identify patients at high risk of diffuse alveolar damage. This allows preventive measures to be taken before the harmful effect occurs, while still enabling effective cancer treatment for those without the risk polymorphism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by identifying specific genetic characteristics (MUC4 polymorphisms) in particular patient populations (Japanese patients) who are susceptible to diffuse alveolar damage. This enables targeted risk assessment and personalized treatment decisions for specific subgroups rather than applying uniform restrictions to all patients.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If MUC4 gene polymorphism detection is performed to assess diffuse alveolar damage risk, then risk determination accuracy is improved, but diagnostic complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverisk determination accuracyVSAvoiddiagnostic complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies taking out by extracting and focusing on specific MUC4 gene polymorphism sites that are directly associated with diffuse alveolar damage risk. Rather than analyzing the entire genome or multiple unrelated markers, the invention isolates and detects only the critical polymorphic sites, simplifying the diagnostic process while maintaining high accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If gene polymorphism detection methods are developed to identify diffuse alveolar damage risk, then patient safety is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient safetyVSAvoidgene polymorphism detection difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies mechanics substitution by replacing complex mechanical or invasive diagnostic methods with molecular biological detection techniques. The use of PCR and other molecular methods to detect MUC4 polymorphisms is less invasive and more specific than traditional imaging or functional tests, reducing detection difficulty while improving patient safety assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2963126B1Method for evaluating side-effect onset risk in anticancer drug treatment, including detecting MUC4 gene polymorphism
Publication Date: 2019.04.03 SAITAMA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
  • EP2963126B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2963126B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2963126B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an evaluation method and evaluation kit for evaluating the risk of onset of diffuse alveolar damage due to such factors as anticancer drug administration. The purpose of the present invention is also to provide a method for evaluating the risk of onset of side effects in anticancer drug treatment. An evaluation method and evaluation kit for evaluating the risk of onset of diffuse alveolar damage, including detecting gene polymorphism present in the MUC4 gene. A method for evaluating the risk of onset of side effects in anticancer drug treatment, including detecting gene polymorphism present in the MUC4 gene of a patient scheduled for anticancer drug administration.