Methods relating to circulating tumor cell clusters and the treatment of cancer

Abstract

Described herein are methods and assays relating to the presence and/or level of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). These CTC-Cs represent a highly metastatic subpopulation of CTCs. In some embodiments, the methods and assays described herein relate to the treatment of cancer.

What is claimed herein is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating breast or epithelial cancer, the method comprising administering a treatment to prevent or reduce metastasis in a subject determined to have a level of CTC cluster which is increased relative to a control level. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising not administering a treatment to prevent or reduce metastasis in a subject determined to have a level of CTC clusters is not increased relative to a control level. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment to prevent or reduce metastasis is selected from the group consisting of:
 an inhibitor of a CTC-C marker gene selected from the list of Table 2, 3, or 4;   chemotherapy; radiation therapy; or removal of a tumor.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein not administering a treatment can comprise a clinical approach of monitoring without therapeutic intervention. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of CTC clusters is measured by measuring the expression level of a CTC cluster (CTC-C) marker gene in the sample obtained from the subject;
 wherein the CTC-C marker gene is a gene selected from the list of Table 2, 3, or 4.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the CTC-C marker gene is plakoglobin. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the expression level of a CTC-C marker gene in circulating tumor cells in the sample is measured. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the expression level of a CTC-C marker gene in cancer cells obtained from the subject is measured. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of CTC clusters is measured using a BB CTC-Chip. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a subject in need of treatment for cancer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an increased level of CTC clusters is a level at least 1.5× greater than the control level. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein an increased level of plakoglobin expression is a level at least 1.5× greater than the control level. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a first step of measuring the level of circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters in a sample obtained from a subject with a breast or epithelial cancer. 
     
     
         14 . A method of treating cancer metastasis, the method comprising reducing the level of expression or activity of a CTC-C marker gene; wherein the CTC-C marker gene is a gene selected from the list of Table 2, 3, or 4. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein reducing the level of expression or activity of a CTC-C marker gene comprises administering a CTC-C marker gene inhibitory nucleic acid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid is a siRNA. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the CTC-C marker gene is plakoglobin. 
     
     
         18 . A method of reducing the level of circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters in a subject with cancer, the method comprising reducing the level of expression or activity of a CTC-C marker gene; wherein the CTC-C marker gene is a gene selected from the list of Table 2, 3, or 4.