Patent ID: 7930105

Claim:
A method to determine the grade of breast cancer cells in a sample from a human subject, said method comprising assaying said sample for gene expression that is increased in grade III relative to grade I breast cancer, wherein said gene expression is assayed by synthesis of cDNA molecules from expressed RNA of the genes RACGAP1 (Rac GTPase activating protein 1, chromosomal location 12p13.2-p13.1), CENPA (centromere protein A (17kD), chromosomal location 2p24-p21), RRM2 (ribonucleotide reductase M2 polypeptide, chromosomal location 2p25-p24), and NEK2 (NIMA (never in mitosis gene a)-related kinase, chromosomal location 1q32.2-q41) in said sample; and comparing the expression of the genes, via the cDNA molecules, to the expression of said genes in reference samples of known human grade III breast cancer; and identifying said sample as containing grade III breast cancer cells.