Gene relating to estimation of postoperative prognosis for breast cancer

1. A method for predicting a postoperative prognosis in node-negative (n0) breast cancer with no metastasis to a lymph node in operation in a subject and treating the subject for breast cancer, the method comprising

measuring expression of a first and second set of genes in a breast cancer tissue from the subject in a DNA microarray;

normalizing the expression of the first and second set of genes relative to expression of at least one housekeeping gene in the breast cancer tissue;

calculating a prognosis score from the normalized expression of the first set of genes minus the normalized expression of the second set of genes; and

treating the subject for the node-negative (n0) breast cancer if the prognosis score is more than 3 and discontinuing treatment for the node-negative (n0) breast cancer if the prognosis score is lower than −16,

wherein the first set of genes are:

human DNA polymerase zeta catalytic subunit (REV3);

human galectin 1; and

human ribosomal protein L31, and

wherein the second set of genes are:

human ovarian beta-A-inhibin;

human proteasome (prosome, macropain) 26S subunit, non-ATPase, 3;

human MHC class I HLA-J gene,

a gene specifically amplified by a primer set of SEQ ID No. 77 and SEQ ID No. 78,

a gene specifically amplified by a primer set of SEQ ID No. 81 and SEQ ID No. 82,

a neurochondrin gene specifically amplified by a primer set of SEQ ID No. 85 and SEQ ID No. 86, and

a gene specifically amplified by a primer set of SEQ ID No. 107 and SEQ ID No. 108.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DNA microarray is a fiber type array.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises preparing amplified RNA from the breast cancer tissue from the subject.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the measuring further comprises hybridizing the amplified RNA to a DNA microarray comprising the first set of genes and the second set of genes.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the amplified RNA are labeled.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the measuring further comprises measuring hybridization between the labeled amplified RNA and the DNA on the DNA microarray.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the measuring hybridization comprises measuring with a photometer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DNA microarray is a cDNA microarray.

9. A method of treating a breast cancer patient, the method comprising

after performing an operation on the breast cancer patient, treating the patient for node-negative (n0) breast cancer with no metastasis to a lymph node, wherein the patient is selected for treatment if the patient has a poor postoperative prognosis of more than 3 determined by

measuring expression of a first and second set of genes in a breast cancer tissue from the subject in a DNA microarray;

normalizing the expression of the first and second set of genes relative to expression of at least one housekeeping gene in the breast cancer tissue;

calculating a prognosis score from the normalized expression of the first set of genes minus the normalized expression of the second set of genes; and

wherein the first set of genes are:

human DNA polymerase zeta catalytic subunit (REV3);

human galectin 1; and

human ribosomal protein L31, and

wherein the second set of genes are:

human ovarian beta-A-inhibin;

human proteasome (prosome, macropain) 26S subunit, non-ATPase, 3;

human MHC class I HLA-J gene,

a gene specifically amplified by a primer set of SEQ ID No. 77 and SEQ ID No. 78,

a gene specifically amplified by a primer set of SEQ ID No. 81 and SEQ ID No. 82,

a neurochondrin gene specifically amplified by a primer set of SEQ ID No. 85 and SEQ ID No. 86, and

a gene specifically amplified by a primer set of SEQ ID No. 107 and SEQ ID No. 108.