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 reactions including desmoplasia, angiogenesis, and immune reactions. Pancreatic cancer has a prominent and characteristic host reaction at the site of primary invasion. To obtain new insights into the process of tumor invasion, we studied global patterns of gene expression using serial analysis of gene expression 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 host reaction, including some that may be useful as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets.