Invasion-specific genes in malignancy: Serial analysis of gene expression comparisons of primary and passaged cancers

The invasive growth of malignant cells induces an admixture of host reactio ns including desmoplasia, angiogenesis, and immune reactions. Pancreatic ca ncer has a prominent and characteristic host reaction at the site of primar y invasion. To obtain new insights into the process of tumor invasion, we s tudied global patterns of gene expression using serial analysis of gene exp ression in pancreatic cancer, with extension to other tumor types. Here we report a cluster of invasion-specific genes in pancreatic and other cancers . This cluster contains genes that derive from distinct components of the h ost reaction, including some that may be useful as diagnostic markers and t herapeutic targets.