Methods and compositions for the identification, assessment, prevention and therapy of human cancers
OwnerFrederick P. Roth, Christophe Van Huffel +2inventors
InventorsFrederick P. Roth, Christophe Van Huffel, James V. White, Andrew W. Shyjan
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to the identification of markers that can be used to determine the sensitivity of cancer cells to a therapeutic agent. The present invention is also directed to the identification of therapeutic targets. Nucleic acid arrays were used to determine the level of expression of sequences (genes) found in 60 different solid tumor cancer cell lines selected from the NCI 60 cancer cell line series. Expression analysis was used to identify markers associated with sensitivity to certain chemotherapeutic agents.
Claims56
A method for determining whether an agent can be used to reduce the growth of cancer cells, comprising the steps of:
- a) obtaining a sample of cancer cells;
- b) determining the level of expression in the cancer cells of a marker identified in Tables 2-8;
- and
- c) identifying that an agent can be used to reduce the growth of said cancer cells when the marker is expressed at a certain level.
A method for determining whether an agent is effective in treating cancer, comprising the steps of:
- a) obtaining a sample of cancer cells;
- b) exposing the sample to an agent;
- c) determining the level of expression of a marker identified in Tables 2-8 in the sample exposed to the agent and in a sample that is not exposed to the agent;
- and
- d) identifying that an agent is effective in treating cancer when expression of the marker is altered in the presence of said agent.
The method of claim 55, wherein the agent is TAXOL.
A method for determining whether treatment with an agent should be continued in a cancer patient, comprising the steps of:
- a) obtaining two or more samples comprising cancer cells from a patient during the course of treatment with the agent;
- b) determining the level of expression of a marker identified in Tables 2-8 in the two or more samples;
- and
- c) continuing treatment when the expression level of the marker is not significantly altered during the course of treatment.
A method for identifying new cancer treatments, comprising the steps of:
- a) obtaining a sample of cancer cells;
- b) determining the level of expression of a marker identified in Tables 2-8;
- c) exposing the sample to the cancer treatment;
- d) determining the level of expression of the marker in the sample exposed to the cancer treatment;
- and
- e) identifying that the cancer treatment is effective in treating cancer when the marker is expressed at a certain level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.