Novel compositions and methods for the identification, assessment, prevention and therapy of human cancers

A method for determining whether an agent cannot be used to reduce the growth of a tumor, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining a sample of tumor cells;
• b) determining whether the tumor cells express one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the sensitivity markers identified in Tables 1-6;
• and
• c) identifying that an agent cannot be used to reduce the growth of the tumor when one or more of the sensitivity markers in Tables 1-6 is not expressed or is underexpressed by the tumor cells

A method for determining whether an agent can be used to reduce the growth of a tumor, cancer cells, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining a sample of tumor cells;
• b) determining whether the tumor cells express one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the resistance markers in Tables 1-6;
• and
• c) identifying that an agent can be used to reduce the growth of the tumor when one or more of the resistance markers in Tables 1-6 is not expressed or is underexpressed by the tumor cells.

A method for determining whether an agent cannot be used to reduce the growth of a tumor, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining a sample of tumor cells;
• b) determining whether the tumor cells express one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the resistance markers identified in Tables 1-6;
• and
• c) identifying that an agent cannot be used to reduce the growth of the tumor when one or more of the markers in Tables 1-6 is expressed or overexpressed by the cancer cells.

A method for determining whether an agent can be used to reduce the growth of a tumor, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining a sample of tumor cells;
• b) exposing the tumor cells to one or more agents;
• c) determining the level of expression in the tumor cells of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the sensitivity markers identified in Tables 1-6 in the sample exposed to the agent and in a sample of tumor cells that is not exposed to the agent;
• and
• d) identifying that an agent can be used to reduce the growth of said tumor when the expression of one or more of said markers is increased in the presence of said agent.

A method for determining whether an agent cannot be used to reduce the growth of tumor cells, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining a sample of tumor cells;
• b) exposing the tumor cells to one or more agents;
• c) determining the level of expression in the tumor cells of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the sensitivity markers identified in Tables 1-6 in the sample exposed to the agent and in a sample of tumor cells that is not exposed to the agent;
• and
• d) identifying that an agent cannot be used to reduce the growth of the tumor when the expression of one or more of said markers is not increased in the presence of said agent.

A method for determining whether an agent can be used to reduce the growth of a tumor, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining a sample of tumor cells;
• b) exposing the tumor cells to one or more agents;
• c) determining the level of expression in the tumor cells of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the resistance markers identified in Tables 1-6 in the sample exposed to the agent and in a sample of tumor cells that is not exposed to the agent;
• and
• d) identifying that an agent can be used to reduce the growth of the tumor when the expression of one or more of said markers is not increased in the presence of said agent.

A method for determining whether an agent cannot be used to reduce the growth of a tumor, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining a sample of tumor cells;
• b) exposing the tumor cells to one or more test agents;
• c) determining the level of expression in the tumor cells of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the resistance markers identified in Tables 1-6 in the sample exposed to the agent and in a sample of tumor cells that is not exposed to the agent;
• and
• d) identifying that an agent cannot be used to reduce the growth of the tumor when the expression of one or more of said markers is increased in the presence of said agent.

A method for determining whether treatment with an anti-cancer 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 anti-cancer agent treatment;
• b) determining the level of expression in the cancer cells of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the sensitivity markers identified in Tables 1-6 in the two or more samples;
• and
• c) continuing treatment when the expression level of one or more of the markers does not decrease during the course of treatment.

A method for determining whether treatment with an anti-cancer agent should be discontinued in a cancer patient, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining two or more samples comprising cancer cells from a patient during the course of anti-cancer agent treatment;
• b) determining the level of expression in the cancer cells of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the sensitivity markers identified in Tables 1-6 in the two or more samples;
• and
• c) discontinuing treatment when the expression level of one or more of the markers decreases during the course of treatment.

A method for determining whether treatment with an anti-cancer agent should be discontinued in a cancer patient, comprising the steps of:

• a) obtaining two or more samples comprising cancer cells from a patient during the course of anti-cancer agent treatment;
• b) determining the level of expression in the cancer cells of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the resistance markers identified in Tables 1-6 in the two or more samples;
• and
• c) discontinuing treatment when the expression level of one or more of the markers does not decrease during the course of treatment.

A method for determining whether treatment with an anti-cancer 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 anti-cancer agent treatment;
• b) determining the level of expression in the cancer cells of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of the resistance markers identified in Tables 1-6 in the two or more samples;
• and
• c) continuing treatment when the expression level of one or more of the markers does not increase during the course of treatment.