Methods and compositions for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine lung cancer
AssigneeThe United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Dept. of Health and Human Services
InventorsCurtis Harris, Ping He, Lyuba Varticovski, Willliam Travis
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Abstract
This invention relates to methods and compositions for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine lung cancers. In particular, the invention concerns the use of cDNA microarrays to facilitate the differential diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumor types.
Claims29
A method for determining whether a candidate cell is a neuro-endocrine tumor cell, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
- (A) determining the profile of expression of a plurality of genes of said candidate cell;
- and
- (B) comparing such determined profile of expression with the profile of expression of said genes of a small cell lung cancer cell, a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma cell, a typical carcinoid tumor cell or an atypical carcinoid tumor cell;
- to thereby determine whether said candidate cell is a neuroendocrine tumor cell.
A microarray of genes, or polynucleotide fragments or RNA transcripts thereof for distinguishing a neuroendocrine tumor cell, said microarray comprising a solid support having greater than 10 genes, or polynucleotide fragments or RNA transcripts thereof, distinguishably arrayed in spaced apart regions, wherein said microarray comprises a sufficient number of genes, or polynucleotide fragments or RNA transcripts thereof, that are differentially expressed in a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell, a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) neuroendocrine tumor cell, a typical carcinoid (TC) neuroendocrine tumor cell, or an atypical carcinoid (AC) neuroendocrine tumor cell, relative to a normal cell or a cell belonging to a different neuroendocrine tumor cell type, to permit said microarray to distinguish a neuroendocrine tumor cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.