Compositions and Methods for Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer

摘要

The present invention is a population of breast cancer cells with preference for establishing dormancy in bone marrow. The breast cancer cells have characteristics of stem cells and express high levels of Oct4, designated Oct4hi, but are also not dependent on stem cell gene status. The Oct4hi cells exhibit functional gap junction intercellular communication with bone marrow stroma, indicating that these cells can establish dormancy and remain resistant to chemotherapy. Also provided by the present invention are a biomarker for metastatic breast cancer, a method for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer, and a method for identifying treatments that target dormant metastatic cells.