Disclosed are biomarkers, methods and
assay kits for the identification of
cancer patients who are predicted to benefit, or not to benefit, from the therapeutic administration of an
epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor. The biomarkers of the present invention include detection of EGFR and HER 2
gene amplification and polysomy, EGFR
protein expression, EGFR mutations, phosphorylated Akt
protein expression, and various combinations of such biomarkers, as well as the combination of these biomarkers with mutations in the
tyrosine kinase domain of the EGFR
gene. Increased EGFR
gene copy number, increased HER2
gene copy number, increased EGFR,
protein expression, activated AKT
protein expression (phosphorylated AKT) and EGFR mutations are all associated with better outcome for
cancer patients treated with
EGFR inhibitors. The invention provides a diagnostic paradigm based on each of these tests and combinations of these tests to select
cancer patients who will benefit from EGFR inhibitor therapy, as well as a diagnostic paradigm to select cancer patients who will not benefit from EGFR inhibitor therapy.