Method of Diagnosing Cancer Using beta-Catenin Splice Variants
Description of Invention:
This application relates to methods for early detection, diagnosis, and prognosis of cancers and their associated preneoplastic lesions. The methods are useful in evaluating the status of preneoplastic lesions as well as tumor tissue. Because of this, the methods can be used to track the progression and therapeutic response of disease in cell and tissue samples of normal, dysplasia or cancerous epithelium procured by routine cytology, i.e., exfoliated/brush or fine needle aspiration, or surgical methods.
The methods are particularly useful with respect to adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. In particular, the methods described and claimed in the application are useful with respect to preneoplasias and carcinomas involving the upper aerodigestive tract.
The methods involve the measurement of levels of one or more pairs of transcripts or the protein products of these pairs of transcripts or the cellular localization of the transcripts or proteins. The primary transcripts or protein products useful in this method are those of the beta-Catenin gene (CTNNB1). In particular, the levels of the 16A and 16B CTNNB1 transcripts or protein products are of importance in carrying out the methods of this patent application. Other gene transcripts or protein products that may be used in conjunction with CTNNB1 16A and 16B to provide additional information are WAF1 (p21) and cMYC.
The methods can be practiced using fresh or frozen cell and/or tissue specimens and techniques such as laser capture microdissection (LCM) RT-PCR.
Inventors:
Mark J. Roth and Konrad Huppi (NCI)
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-018-2005/0 --
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/652,154 filed 10 Feb 2005
Related Technologies: DHHS Reference No. E-018-2005/1 --
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/667,084 filed 30 Mar 2005, "Method of Diagnosing and Treating Cancer Using beta-Catenin Splice Variants"
Licensing Status: In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further development through collaborative research opportunities with the inventors.
Portfolios: Cancer
Cancer -Diagnostics-In Vitro-DNA Based Cancer -Diagnostics
For Additional Information Please Contact: Susan S. Rucker J.D.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: (301) 435-4478
Email: ruckersu@mail.nih.gov
Fax: (301) 402-0220
