HEPATOCYTE GROWTH FACTOR AS MARKER OF PROGNOSIS IN SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER (SCLC)

摘要

The invention relates to a new marker, the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in serum or plasma for the prognosis of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). The invention also provides methods for selecting subjects suffering from SCLC that are candidate to respond to certain substances inhibiting certain kinases expressed in the tumours. There are also encompassed the use of immunoassay and nucleic acid reagents for detecting HGF in serum or plasma, said reagents for carrying out the prognostic method.

主权项

1. A method for determining the prognosis and treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in a subject suffering from SCLC, which comprises:
(a) contacting an isolated sample of a subject suffering from SCLC with a reagent selected from an immunoassay reagent or a nucleic acid analysis reagent that binds hepatocyte growing factor (HGF) protein or messenger RNA, wherein the sample is selected from serum and plasma; (b) measuring the amount of HGF in the isolated sample; and (c) comparing the amount of HGF in the isolated sample with that of a reference control value; and (d) determining a prognosis and treatment for the subject, wherein if the level of HGF is equal or higher than the reference control value, a poor prognosis of SCLC is determined, and the subject is treated with a therapy regimen comprising MET pathway inhibitors.