MicroRNA biomarkers for human breast and lung cancer

1. A method comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining at least one breast sample from an individual,

b) detecting the presence or absence of expression and/or the expression level of at least one nucleic acid molecule in cells of the sample, said nucleic acid molecule comprising:

c) a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 17, in relation to breast cancer and/or,

d) a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to c) and/or,

e) a nucleotide sequence which is a fragment of c) or d) and/or,

f) a nucleotide sequence which has an identity of at least 80% to a sequence of c), d) or e) and/or,

g) a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a sequence of c), d), e) or f),

for the detection of breast cancer in said individual.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising the detection of the expression levels of at least two or more nucleic acid molecules.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule consists of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 17.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one nucleic acid molecule is SEQ ID NO: 1.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a probe comprising:

a) a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 and 17.

b) a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to a) and/or,

c) a nucleotide sequence which is a fragment of a) or b) and/or,

d) a nucleotide sequence which has an identity of at least 80% to a sequence of a), b) or c) and/or,

e) a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a sequence of a), b), c) or d),

is used for the detection of said nucleic acid molecule(s).

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sample is a biopsy obtained from an individual.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the individual is predisposed to or suffering from cancer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expression level of the at least one nucleic acid molecule is detected by a screening method.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the screening method comprises comparing at least two samples from the same or different individuals.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the screening method comprises a PCR detection method such as real time RT-PCR and/or Q-PCR.

11. The method according to claim 1 , for detection of the expression level of the nucleic acid molecule for diagnostic purposes.

12. The method according to claim 1 , for the detection of the expression and/or level of the nucleic acid molecule prior to treatment of a clinical condition in an individual.

13. The method according to claim 1 , for the detection of the expression level of the nucleic acid molecule during or after treatment of a clinical condition in an individual.

14. A nucleic acid construct encoding at least one nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 .

15. The nucleic acid construct of claim 14 encoding a promoter enabling expression of the at least one nucleic acid molecule.

16. The nucleic acid construct of claim 15 , wherein the promoter is selected from the group of tissue-specific promoters, cell-type specific promoters, constitutive promoters and inducible promoters.

17. A delivery vehicle comprising the nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 .

18. A cell comprising at least one nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the cell comprises a nucleic acid construct or vehicle selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO 1 and 17.