Methods of classifying, diagnosing, stratifying and treating cancer patients and their tumors

摘要

The invention provides a variety of reagents for use in the diagnosis and management of cancer, particularly breast cancer. cDNA microarray technology was used to identify genes whose expression profile across a large group of tumor samples correlates with that of cytokeratin 5 and cytokeratin 17, markers for basal cells of the normal mammary lactation gland. The invention demonstrates that tumors that express cytokeratin 5/6 and/or 17 have a poor prognosis relative to tumors overall. The invention provides basal marker genes and their expression products and uses of these genes for diagnosis of cancer and for identification of therapies for cancer. In particular, the invention provides basal marker genes including cadherin3, matrix metalloproteinase 14, and cadherin EGF LAG seven-pass G-type receptor 2. The invention provides antibodies to the polypeptides expressed by these genes and methods of use thereof.