CANCER TREATMENT RESISTANCE AND AGENTS MODULATING SUCH RESISTANCE

摘要

Method for detecting in vitro resistance of cancer cells to a treatment, comprising the step of detecting in the cancer cells supernumerary nucleolar organizer regions (NOR), whereby identification of the presence of supernumarary NOR in the cancer cells is indicative of treatment resistance. And a method for defining the capacity of a candidate agent to modulate N OR genes number of cancer cells, comprising the steps of : contacting the cance r cells with a candidate agent for a time sufficient to permit modulation of N OR genes number; and observing whether NOR genes number increases or decreases in said cancer cells.