Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for differentiating between i) a severe form of cancer and ii) a mild form of cancer, comprising a) determining the amounts of gene product of at least the genes coding for ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6), nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NME/NDKA), and caveolin-1, in a sample from a subject, b) comparing the amounts obtained in step a) to reference amounts, and c) differentiating between a severe form of cancer and a mild form of cancer, wherein an increased amount of products of the genes coding for RPS6 and NME/NDKA and a decreased amount of product of the gene coding for caveolin-1 are indicative of a severe form of cancer. The invention further relates to the use of antibodies specifically recognizing a polypeptide selected from the list consisting of RPS6, NME/NDKA, and caveolin-1, for differentiating between a severe form of cancer and a mild form of cancer.