IGF2BP3 functional alterations and overexpression as a marker for cancer diagnosis and therapeutic response to IGF1R inhibitors

A method of treating a thyroid cancer in a patient with a thyroid tumor with a therapeutic intervention, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a tissue sample from the tumor in the human patient;
• extracting chromosomal DNA, mRNA, or combinations thereof from the tissue sample;
• assaying the chromosomal DNA and/or mRNA for the presence of a genetic fusion event between THADA exons 28, 29, 30, or 36 and a breakpoint located upstream of the Insulin-like growth factor 2 binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) gene at LOC389473 including chromosome 7 position 23,521,997;
• wherein the presence of the THADA-LOC389473 fusion event indicates that the human patient has a THADA gene fusion cancer;
• wherein the chromosome 7 position 23,521,997 is with respect to genome build 37 UCSC/genome browser version 19;
• measuring IGF2BP3 protein expression in the tissue sample;
• and subsequently providing the patient with the therapeutic intervention if IGF2BP3 protein expression is elevated compared to normal tissue, wherein the therapeutic intervention comprises surgical removal of the tumor or administration of one or more therapeutic agents selected from a monoclonal antibody that disrupts IGF1R signaling and a small molecule inhibitor that disrupts IGF1R signaling.