Patent ID: 7344829
Filing Date: 2008-03-18
Classification: A61P,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the effectiveness of a cancer treatment comprising: (a) obtaining non-tumor skin, mucosal or hair follicle tissue samples by non-invasive procedures from a patient before and after a patient undergoes cancer treatment with a chemotherapeutic agent, wherein i) said cancer overexpress epidermal growth factor receptor, ii) said cancer treatment is directed to said growth factor receptor, and iii) said chemotherapeutic agent is a protein kinase inhibitor that reduces phosphorylation of said growth factor receptor; (b) determining growth factor receptor phosphorylation in said tissues; and (c) comparing the growth factor receptor phosphorylation in the tissue obtained before treatment to the growth factor receptor phosphorylation in the tissue obtained after treatment, wherein a reduction of growth factor receptor phosphorylation in the tissue obtained after treatment as compared to that in the tissue obtained before treatment is indicative of the effectiveness of the cancer treatment.