This technology describes a gene signature that accurately predicts metastatic potential and therapeutic responsiveness in prostate cancer for potential use in prognostic tests.
Current methods to diagnose prostate cancer rely on tumor biopsies and blood tests for Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). However, neither method can predict a localized tumor’s metastatic potential or responsiveness to anti-androgen therapy. Despite efforts to classify prostate cancer based on molecular subtypes, there is currently no functional assay that uses molecular markers to accurately predict the progression and aggressiveness of prostate cancer.
This technology is a gene signature that predicts disease progression and therapeutic response in prostate cancer. The identified 16 genes, collectively termed META-16, have implicated roles in driving metastasis of localized prostate tumors. When applied to patient data, META-16 robustly predicts time to metastasis and response to anti-androgen therapy. As such, this technology can potentially be used in prognostic tests for prostate cancer aggressiveness for improved guidance of each patient’s treatment strategy.
This technology has been published in Nature Cancer and is featured in this Columbia News article.
Patent Pending
IR CU19127
Licensing Contact: Joan Martinez