Method of determining acute myeloid leukemia response to treatment with farnesyltransferase inhibitors

A method for prescribing tipinifarb to a subject diagnosed with a disorder, the method comprising:

• evaluating expression of RASGRP1 and APTX in an amplification of signals from ribonucleic acid targets using at least one primer from the group consisting of
• (i)
• 5′-CGCTTCCGATTGGGCTAC-3′
• (ii)
• 5′-AGAATCAAAATCCTGGCTGATC-3′
• (iii)
• 5′-CTGGACGATCTCATTGACAGC-3′
• and
• (iv)
• 5′-CTTGCAACAGTTGGTTACTTCG-3′.

A method of identifying a treatment for a subject diagnosed with a myeloid disorder, the method comprising:

• administering a first assay having a first outcome based on at least an amplification of a target ribonucleic acid;
• flagging the subject based on the first outcome and a predetermined threshold as unlikely to be aided by a one or more of a group of treatments, each of which treatments requires administration of a farnesyl transferase inhibitor and a synergistic agent selected from the group consisting of etoposide, teniposide, tamoxifen, sorafenib, paclitaxel, temozolomide, topotecan, trastuzumab and cisplatinum;
• and
• selecting, in response to the subject not being flagged, a treatment from the group of treatments.

An assay for identifying subjects likely to respond to a treatment comprising administration of farnesyl transferase inhibitors by evaluating the expression of RASGRP1 and APTX in an amplification of signals from ribonucleic acid targets using at least one primer from the group consisting of

• (i)
• 5′-CGCTTCCGATTGGGCTAC-3′
• (ii)
• 5′-AGAATCAAAATCCTGGCTGATC-3′
• (iii)
• 5′-CTGGACGATCTCATTGACAGC-3′
• and
• (iv)
• 5′-CTTGCAACAGTTGGTTACTTCG-3′.

A method of selecting a threshold in an assay for identifying a responder to a treatment with a combination of a farnesyl inhibitor and another agent, which is selected from or is a derivative of a member selected from the group consisting of etoposide, teniposide, tamoxifen, sorafenib, paclitaxel, Temozolomide, Topotecan, Trastuzumab and cisplatinum, the method comprising:

• processing a blood sample to prepare a ribonucleic acid enriched preparation;
• generating a ratio of expression levels RASGRP1 and APTX;
• and
• maximizing in a data set one or more of a measure from the set consisting of a positive predictive value of the treatment, a negative predictive value of identifying a responder, an AUC in a ROC analysis, a sensitivity and a specificity, wherein the ratio of expression levels RASGRP1 and APTX is compared to the threshold.