Patent ID: 8852861

Claim:
A method for determining if a rectal adenocarcinoma is responsive to therapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and radiation, comprising: (a) providing a polynucleotide sample obtained from a rectal adenocarcinoma of a subject; (b) detecting in the sample the amounts of a polynucleotides selected from the group consisting of a polynucleotide having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 31, a polynucleotide having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 14, a polynucleotide having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 1 and a polynucleotide having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 5; (c) comparing the amounts of the polynucleotides to a baseline value that is indicative of the level of expression of the polynucleotide in a subject that is not responsive to therapy with 5-FU and radiation, wherein a decrease in the amount of the polynucleotides compared to the baseline value indicates that the rectal adenocarcinoma is responsive to therapy with 5-FU and radiation; and d) administering 5-FU and radiation therapy to the subject.