Methods for cancer prognosis and screening antiproliferative agents

摘要

The invention provides prognostic methods which comprise determining the level of expression of the gene c-fyn, or the level of activated STAT-3 protein. Because the relative level of c-fyn expression and level of activated STAT-3 protein correlate with the presence of malignant potential and therefore patient prognosis, these markers may be used to make treatment decisions, to predict patient outcome, and to predict the risk of cancer in disease-free individuals. The invention further provides a method for identifying anticancer drugs in which inhibitors of cell proliferation are identified as inhibitors of Src-mediated STAT phosphorylation.