Method for diagnosing lung cancers using gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Abstract

Methods and compositions are provided for diagnosing lung cancer in a mammalian subject by use of three or more selected gene, e.g., a gene expression profile, from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of the subject which is characteristic of disease, a stage of the disease, or enables prognosis of recurrence of disease. The gene expression profile includes three or more genes of Table I, Table II, Table III, Table IV, Table V, Table VI or Table VII herein. Detection of changes in expression in the selected genes forming the gene expression profile from that of a reference gene expression profile are correlated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). One composition for use in such diagnosis includes three or more PCR primer-probe sets, wherein each primer-probe set amplifies a different polynucleotide sequence from the gene expression profile. Another composition for similar use contains a plurality of polynucleotides immobilized on a substrate, which probes hybridize to three or more gene expression products from genes in the gene expression profile. Still another composition involves detection of the protein expression products of genes from the gene expression profile.

1 . A composition for diagnosing the existence or evaluating the progression of a lung cancer in a mammalian subject, said composition comprising:
 (a) three or more polynucleotides or oligonucleotides, wherein each polynucleotide or oligonucleotide hybridizes to a different gene, gene fragment, gene transcript or expression product from mammalian peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), or   (b) three or more ligands, wherein each ligand binds to a different gene expression product from mammalian peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC),   wherein said gene, gene fragment, gene transcript or expression product is selected from the group consisting of: (i) the genes of Table I; (ii) the genes of Table II; (iii) the genes of Table III; and (iv) the genes of Table IV.