Patent ID: 8043815

Claim:
A method for identifying whether or not an individual diagnosed with cancer is a candidate for receiving a DNA methylation inhibitor, the method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a biological sample from cancerous tissue of the individual; b) determining PDEF expression and survivin expression from the sample; wherein the determining the PDEF expression is performed by analyzing the nucleotide sequence of a portion of the PDEF gene sufficient to permit detection of hypermethylation of said portion, wherein hypermethylation of said portion indicates that PDEF expression is absent or low relative to the matched PDEF expression control; and determining that the individual is a candidate for receiving the DNA methylation inhibitor by determining that PDEF expression is absent or low relative to a PDEF expression control and that survivin expression is present; or determining that the individual is a not candidate for receiving the DNA methylation inhibitor by determining that PDEF expression is normal or high relative to a PDEF expression control and survivin expression is absent; or determining that the individual is a not candidate for receiving the DNA methylation inhibitor by determining that PDEF expression is absent or low relative to a PDEF expression control and survivin expression is absent; or determining that the individual is a not candidate for receiving the DNA methylation inhibitor by determining that PDEF expression is normal or high relative to a PDEF expression control and survivin expression is present.