BIOLOGICAL MARKERS PREDICTIVE OF ANTI-CANCER RESPONSE TO INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-1 RECEPTOR KINASE INHIBITORS

The present invention provides diagnostic methods for predicting the effectiveness of treatment of an ovarian cancer patient with an IGF-1R kinase inhibitor. Methods are provided for predicting the sensitivity of tumor cell growth to inhibition by an IGF-1R kinase inhibitor, comprising assessing whether the tumor cells possess mutant K-RAS. The present invention thus provides a method of identifying patients with ovarian cancer who are most likely to benefit from treatment with an IGF-1R kinase inhibitor. Improved methods for treating cancer patients with IGF-1R kinase inhibitors that incorporate this methodology are also provided. The present invention also provides diagnostic methods for predicting the effectiveness of treatment of cancer patients with IGF-1R kinase inhibitors, based on a determination of the mutation status of the genes K-RAS, B-RAF, PTEN and PIK3CA, which can be used to identify tumor cell types that will be sensitive to IGF-1R kinase inhibitors, and also those that will be insensitive.