DR. LAURA J. ESSERMAN, MD
Radiology at Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA

2011013, Jun 2, 2011

Mar 10, 2009

12/922651

Christopher Benz - Novato CA, US
Laura Esserman - San Francisco CA, US
Frederic Waldman - San Francisco CA, US
Christina Yau - Novato CA, US

C40B 30/00, C40B 40/06, C12Q 1/68

506 7, 506 16, 435 612, 435 614

The present invention relates to the identification of marker genes useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of clinically problematic subsets of primary breast cancers. More specifically, the invention relates to the identification of two sets of marker genes that are differentially expressed in and useful for the diagnosis and prognosis of subsets of hormone receptor-negative (HRneg; i.e., ER and PR negative) and triple-negative (Tneg; i.e., ER, PR and HER2 negative) primary breast cancers at highest risk for early metastatic relapse. The invention further provides methods for determining the best course of treatment for patients having one of these clinically problematic subsets of primary breast cancers. The invention also provides methods for identifying compounds that prevent or treat a subtype of breast cancer based on their ability to modulate the activity or expression level of one or more marker genes identified herein.