SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING PROGESTERONE RECEPTOR SUBTYPES

1 . A method of identifying a progesterone receptor positive tumor, comprising:

obtaining a tissue sample suspected of being tumorigenic or cancerous from a patient;

identifying progesterone receptor positive cells in the tissue sample using at least a first antibody for detecting PRA and at least a second antibody for detecting PRB; and

determining that the tissue sample is progesterone receptor positive if the presence of PRA or the presence of PRB is detected.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue sample is obtained from breast tissue.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first antibody and second antibody are isotype specific antibodies.

4 . The method of claim 3 , where in the first antibody is PRA Novacastra 16 and the second antibody is PRB Novacastra 16.

5 . A method of identifying a triple negative phenotype breast cancer tumor, comprising:

obtaining a tissue sample suspected of being tumorigenic or cancerous from a patient;

identifying progesterone receptor positive cells in the tissue sample using at least a first antibody for detecting PRA and at least a second antibody for detecting PRB;

detecting the presence of the estrogen receptor α using at least one antibody for detecting the estrogen receptor α; detecting the presence of HER2/neu using at least one validated test for determining the presence of HER2/neu; and

determining that the tissue sample is a triple negative phenotype if the presence of PRA, PRB, the ERα; estrogen receptor, and HER2/neu is not detected.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the tissue sample is obtained from breast tissue.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the first antibody and second antibody are isotype specific antibodies.

8 . The method of claim 7 , where in the first antibody is PRA Novacastra 16 and the second antibody is PRB Novacastra 16.

9 . A system for classifying a tumor as progesterone positive, comprising a tissue sample and at least a first antibody capable of detecting PRA and at least a second antibody capable of detecting PRB wherein the at least a first antibody and at least a second antibody is used to determine if the tumor is PRA positive or PRB positive or both PRA positive and PRB positive.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the tissue sample is obtained from breast tissue.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first antibody and second antibody are isotype specific antibodies.

12 . The method of claim 11 , where in the first antibody is PRA Novacastra 16 and the second antibody is PRB Novacastra 16.

13 . A method of administering an anti-progestin to a patient susceptible to treatment with anti-endocrine therapy comprising:

obtaining a BC sample from a patient having breast cancer;

identifying progesterone receptor positive cells in the tissue sample using at least a first antibody for detecting PRA and at least a second antibody for detecting PRB;

determining that the tissue sample is progesterone receptor positive if the presence of PRA or the presence of PRB is detected;

detecting the presence of the estrogen receptor α using at least one antibody for detecting the estrogen receptor; and

administering anti-endocrine therapy to the patient if the tissue sample is determined to be progesterone receptor positive and estrogen receptor α positive.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the anti-endocrine therapy comprises an anti-progestin.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the tissue sample is obtained from breast tissue.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first antibody and second antibody are isotype specific antibodies.

17 . The method of claim 16 , where in the first antibody is PRA Novacastra 16 and the second antibody is PRB Novacastra 16.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the anti-progestin is selected from the group consisting onapristone, lonaprisan, mifepristone, PF-02413873, telapristone, lilopristone, ORG2058, apoprisnil, ulipristal, ZM172406, ZM150271, ZM172405 and aglepristone.

19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising administering an anti-tumor compound selected from the group consisting of everolimus, trastuzumab, TM1-D, anti-HER2 drugs, bevacizumab, paclitaxel, docetaxel, taxanes, doxorubicin, liposomal doxorubicin, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, anthracyclines, anthracenediones, carboplatin, cisplatin, 5-FU, gemcitabine, cyclophosphamide, anti-estrogen, selective estrogen receptor modulators, aromatase inhibitors, and anti-androgens.

20 . A method of inhibiting the growth of a tumor susceptible to growth inhibition by anti-progestins, comprising:

obtaining a tissue sample suspected of being tumorigenic or cancerous from a patient;

identifying progesterone receptor positive cells in the tissue sample using at least a first antibody for detecting PRA and at least a second antibody for detecting PRB;

determining that the tissue sample is progesterone receptor positive if the presence of PRA or the presence of PRB is detected; and

administering an anti-progestin to the patient if the tissue sample is determined to be progesterone receptor positive.