Method of diagnosis and treatment
AssigneeLa Trobe University
InventorsBelinda Sheree Parker, Paul John Hertzog
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to a method of diagnosing, prognosing or monitoring the development or progress of metastatic cancer, more particularly bone metastatic cancer. The method of the present invention more particularly provides a method for detecting metastatic cancer, or a predisposition thereto, by screening for the differential expression of a panel of genes which comprise an IRF7 binding site. In a related aspect, the present invention provides a method of therapeutically or prophylactically treating metastatic cancer, in particular bone metastatic cancer. More particularly, the present invention provides a means of therapeutically or prophylactically treating metastatic cancer by upregulating type I IFN levels.
Claims9
A method of diagnosing and treating metastatic breast tumour in an individual, said method comprising:
- (i) obtaining a biological sample of a primary breast tumour from said individual;
- (ii) detecting the expression level of interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) and interferon regulatory factor 9 (IRF9) in said tumour;
- (iii) diagnosing a metastatic phenotype of said tumour when the expression level of said IRF7 and IRF9 is decreased in comparison to a non-metastatic breast tumour;
- (iv) administering an effective amount of an agent to the diagnosed individual, wherein the agent is a Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist selected from the group consisting of interferon alpha (IFN α), poly I:C and imiquimod, and wherein the agent increases the level of Type I interferon (IFN) in the diagnosed individual.
A method of assessing the metastatic status of a primary breast tumour from an individual, said method comprising:
- (i) obtaining a biological sample of the primary breast tumour from said individual;
- (ii) detecting the expression level of interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) and interferon regulatory factor 9 (IRF9) in said tumour;
- (iii) diagnosing a metastatic phenotype of said tumour when the expression level of said IRF7 and IRF9 is decreased in a comparison to a non-metastatic breast tumour;
- (iv) administering an effective amount of an agent to the diagnosed individual, wherein the agent is a TLR agonist selected from the group consisting of interferon alpha (IFN α), poly I:C and imiquimod, and wherein the agent increases the level of Type I interferon (IFN) in the diagnosed individual.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.