Patent ID: 8703712

Claim:
A method of killing cancer stem cells in a subject comprising (a) determining the level of DR5 agonist resistance or sensitivity of cancer stem cells in a biological sample from the subject comprising the steps of, (i) acquiring a biological sample from a subject with cancer, wherein the sample comprises cancer stem cells, and (ii) detecting the level of IAP in one or more DR5/DDX3/IAP complexes in an enriched population of cancer stem cells from the sample, a high level of IAP in the enriched population of cancer stem cells indicating sensitivity of the cancer stem cells to a DR5 agonist; (b) administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a DR5 agonist, and (c) optionally, administering to the subject an IAP inhibitor, if the cancer stem cells are resistant to the DR5 agonist.