Perinucleolar compartment as a cancer marker

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for cancer diagnostics, prognostics and predictions, including but not limited to, cancer markers. In particular, the present invention provides perinucleolar compartments and their resident molecules as cancer markers.

1 . A method of identifying the stage of ovarian cancer progression comprising:
 a) providing ovarian cancer tissue from a subject, wherein said ovarian cancer tissue comprises cells;   b) identifying the prevalence of perinucleolar compartments in said ovarian cancer tissue; and   c) correlating said prevalence of perinucleolar compartments in said ovarian cancer tissue with the stage of ovarian cancer progression in said subject, wherein said prevalence of perinucleolar compartments is at or above 20% of said cells, and said stage of ovarian cancer is at least Stage I.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said subject is a human. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identifying comprises subjecting said ovarian cancer tissue to immunohistochemical analysis. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identifying comprises detecting polypyrimidine tract binding (PTB) protein in said ovarian cancer tissue.