Predictive marker for egfr inhibitor treatment

Abstract

The present invention provides a biomarker which is predictive for the clinical benefit of EGFR inhibitor treatment in cancer patients.

1 . An in vitro method of predicting the response of a cancer patient to treatment with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor comprising:
 determining an expression level of a protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type F (PTPRF) gene in a tumour sample of a cancer patient and comparing the expression level of the PTPRF gene in the tumor sample to a value representative of an expression level of the PTPRF gene in tumours of a population of patients deriving no clinical benefit form the treatment, wherein a higher expression level of the PTPRF gene in the tumour sample of the patient is indicative for patient who will derive clinical benefit from the treatment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the expression level is determined by microarray technology. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PTPRF gene shows between 1.1 and 1.8 or more fold higher expression in the tumour sample of the patient compared to a value representative of an expression level of the PTPRF gene in tumours of a population of patients deriving no clinical benefit from the treatment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PTPRF gene shows between 1.2 and 1.8 or more fold higher expression level in the tumour sample of the patient compared to a value representative of the population of patients deriving no clinical benefit from the treatment. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the EGFR inhibitor is erlotinib. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method of treating a cancer patient identified by the method of  claim 1  comprising administering an EGFR inhibitor to the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the EGFR inhibitor is erlotinib. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cancer is NSCLC. 
     
     
         13 . A method of treating a cancer patient identified by yjr method of  claim 3  comprising administering an EGFR inhibitor to the patient. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the EGFR inhibitor is erlotinib. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the cancer is NSCLC.