Abstract: The invention relates to methods for determining the clinical outcome of patients suffering lung cancer and being under treatment with an EGFR inhibitor. The methods are based on the detection of the presence of mutations in the EGFR gene conferring resistance to inhibitors of the EGFR tyrosine kinase activity, wherein the appearance of said mutations in the biofluid of the patient is indicative of a high probability that the patient suffers a relapse of the disease. The invention also provides therapeutic methods for said patients.

Abstract: The present invention refers to the detection of EGFR mutations in a blood (serum/plasma) sample from a subject. The method comprises: (i) obtaining the DNA from said sample; (ii) amplifying the nucleic acid sequence corresponding to a specific region of the EGFR gene by means of PCR using a Protein-Nucleic Acid probe; and (iii) detecting said mutation.

Abstract: Method for predicting the survival of a patient suffering from NSCLC to a cisplatin or carboplatin based chemotherapy treatment which comprises the step of determining the methylation state of a nucleic acid encoding 14-3-3 sigma in a biological sample from the patient, wherein the presence of methylation is indicative of longer survival of said patient as a response to said chemotherapy treatment. The methylation status of the 14-3-3 sigma gene can be easily determined in a serum sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for predicting the response to the treatment with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor of a patient suffering lung cancer an carrying a mutation in the EGFR gene based on the expression levels in a sample of said patient of the BRCA1 gene wherein low BRCA1 expression levels are indicative of a positive response of a patient. This positive response is also observed in patients showing the T790M mutation in the EGFR gene which is usually associated with resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Abstract: Formalin fixation causes cross-linkage between nucleic acids and proteins and covalently modifies RNA. As a result, the molecules are rigid and may comprise subsequent RNA extraction. The invention provides a method for recovering RNA from formalin fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, including a short additional step of incubation with proteinase K after the first digestion step that makes a significant enhancement of the quality and quantity of the extracted RNA and subsequently, an improvement in the detection of gene expression is achieved. The method of the invention has the advantage of minimizing the number of manipulations, eliminating the need for potentially toxic solvents, and increasing significantly the amount of RNA recovered, and therefore the sensibility, when compared with previous methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for the prediction of the clinical outcome of a patient suffering from cancer based on the relative expression levels of BRCA1 and RAP80 genes. The invention also relates to anticancer combination therapies comprising a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent and an inhibitor of RAP80.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for predicting the clinical outcome of a patient which suffers from breast cancer based on the expression levels of BRCA1, wherein low BRCA1 expression levels are indicative of a good prognosis. Moreover, the invention relates to methods for predicting the response to a neoadjuvant therapy based on a combination of an anti-metabolite, an intercalating agent and an alkylating agent of a patient which suffers from breast cancer based on the expression levels of BRCA1.

Abstract: Method for predicting the survival of a patient suffering from NSCLC to an antimicrotubule agent based chemotherapy treatment which comprises the step of determining the methylation state of a nucleic acid encoding CHFR in a biological sample from the patient, wherein the presence of methylation is indicative of longer survival of said patient as a response to said chemotherapy treatment. The methylation status of the CHFR gene can be easily determined in a serum sample.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a screening method for classifying and for deciding to apply chemotherapy to patients suffering from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on detecting the levels of EGFR, CSF-1 and CA IX.

Abstract: The present invention refers to the detection of EGFR mutations in a blood (serum/plasma) sample from a subject. The method comprises: (i) obtaining the DNA from said sample; (ii) amplifying the nucleic acid sequence corresponding to a specific region of the EGFR gene by means of PCR using a Protein-Nucleic Acid probe; 10 and (iii) detecting said mutation.

Abstract: The invention provides a reliable method for recovering RNA from a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biological tissue sample comprising: a) deparaffinizing the sample, b) contacting said sample with a solution comprising an effective concentration of proteinase K and heating the sample in said solution to a temperature in the range of about 30 to about 60° C., for a time period of about 12 to 20 hours, c) adding an effective concentration of proteinase K to the solution obtained from b) for a time period of about 5 to about 30 minutes at a temperature range of about 40 to about 75° C., and d) recovering said RNA from said solution. The additional step c) of digestion improves significantly the recovery of RNA.

Abstract: Method for predicting the survival of a patient suffering from NSCLC to a cisplatin or carboplatin based chemotherapy treatment which comprises the step of determining the methylation state of a nucleic acid encoding 14-3-3 sigma in a biological sample from the patient, wherein the presence of methylation is indicative of longer survival of said patient as a response to said chemotherapy treatment. The methylation status of the 14-3-3 sigma gene can be easily determined in a serum sample.