Methods Of Identifying And Treating Poor-Prognosis Cancers

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to methods for identifying cancer patients with a poor prognosis, and to therapeutic modalities for improving prognosis by combating metastasis and abrogating chemoresistance in cancer cells. Embodiments of the present invention provide an objective means of prognostication regarding the long-term outcome of an incident of cancer, breast cancer in particular. Therapeutic modalities include immunotherapy and anti-sense therapy. Prognosis is determined by measuring the number of copies of the metadherin gene in the patient's cells.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 a) administering a chemotherapeutic agent to a patient exhibiting a tumor comprising a plurality of cells that are cancerous or suspected of being cancerous;   b) developing a plurality of chemoresistant cancerous cells or suspected of being cancerous cells in said tumor as a result of said administered chemotherapeutic agent; and   c) administering a combination of said chemotherapeutic agent and a metadherin activity inhibiting small organic molecule, wherein the development of said plurality of chemoresistant cancerous cells or suspected of being cancerous cells in said tumor is reduced.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metadherin activity inhibiting small organic molecule sensitizes said plurality of chemoresistant cancerous cells to said chemotherapeutic. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tumor is in a tissue selected from the group consisting of breast tissue, colon tissue, lung tissue, pancreatic tissue, prostate gland tissue, bone tissue, blood tissue, brain tissue, liver tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tumor is selected from the group consisting of a recurrent tumor, a primary tumor and secondary to a metastasis. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tumor comprises a greater copy number of a metadherin gene relative to a control cell. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said greater copy number identifies that said tumor is both metastatic and chemoresistant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said greater metadherin copy number is at least two metadherin genes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said combination further comprises a cytotoxic agent is selected from the group consisting of chemotherapeutic agents, radioisotopes, steroids, antimetabolites, vinca alkaloids, alkylating agents, coagulants, cytokines, growth factors, bacterial endotoxins, plant toxins, fungus toxins, ribosome inactivating proteins, α-sarcin, aspergillin, restrictocin, α-ribonuclease, diphtheria toxin, pseudomonas exotoxin and deglycosylated ricin A chain.