Extracellular Matrix Gene Chips to Detect Metastatic Tumors
Description of Invention:
Cancer mortality is primarily associated with metastatic disease and not the primary tumor. Recent evidence suggests that metastatic disease can be an early event and in the majority of patients metastasis starts by the time the disease is diagnosed. Currently however, approximately one third of patients without evidence of tumor dissemination at the time of surgical resection of the primary tumor subsequently develop distant metastases after the tumor is removed. Therefore there is a need for methods of characterizing the early metastatic process for better treatment of cancer.
This invention provides arrays which can be used for detecting the metastatic capacity of a tumor. In particular, these gene chips or microarrays detect the over-expression of the cancer-related extracellular matrix (ECM) modifier proteins Anakin and Bromodomain 4 (Brd4). It has been shown that ECM gene dysregulation is predictive of metastasis in breast cancer and recently Brd4 and Anakin have been identified as metastasis modifiers.
Using the signature profiles of Anakin and Brd4, the inventors have demonstrated that these genes predict survival outcome in affymetrix and glass slide based microarray experiments. As a result, screening for BRD4 and/or Anakin status in tumors could be an important prognostic test and may enable physicians to better stratify patients based on risk of recurrence and progression to metastatic disease.
Applications:
Detecting metastatic disease in patients diagnosed with cancer.
Method of characterizing a tumor or cancer by detecting the expression levels of Anakin or Brd4.
Diagnostic tool to aid clinicians in determining appropriate cancer treatment.
Market:
Approximately 1,437,180 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2008.
Almost 565,650 people in the US are expected to die of cancer. This is more than 1,500 people a day.
Development Status:
The technology is currently in the pre-clinical stage of development.
Collaborative Research Opportunity:
The National Cancer Institute Metastasis Susceptibility Section of the Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize BRD4 and/or RRP1B (Anakin) prognostic tests. Please contact John D. Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or hewesj@mail.nih.gov for more information.
Portfolios: Cancer
Cancer -Diagnostics-In Vitro-DNA Based Cancer -Diagnostics
For Additional Information Please Contact: Whitney Hastings
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: 301/451-7337
Email: hastingw@mail.nih.gov
Fax: 301/402-0220
