Methods and Kits for Detecting Subjects at Risk of Having Cancer

Abstract

The present invention relates to agents and methods for screening, diagnosis and surveillance of cancer, in particular pancreatic cancer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining whether a subject has, or is at risk of having, a cellular proliferative disorder, comprising (i) obtaining from the subject a sample and (ii) determining in the sample the expression level of a first microRNA, the first microRNA being selected from a panel of up-regulated microRNAs consisting of miR-18a, miR-22, miR-486, miR-642b, miR-7, and miR-885-5p, whereby the subject is determined to have, or to be at risk of having, the cellular proliferative disorder if the expression level of the first microRNA selected from the panel is above a predetermined reference value. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular proliferative disorder is a cancer selected from the group consisting of pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma, lung cancer, glioblastoma, brain tumor, hematopoietic malignancies, retinoblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, head and neck cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disorder is a pancreatic cancer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined reference value is obtained from a control subject that does not have the cellular proliferative disorder. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is one with a high risk of having the cellular proliferative disorder. 
     
     
         6 . The method of any of  claims 1 , wherein the sample is a body fluid sample. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , where in the same is selected from the group consisting of blood, serum, and plasma. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sample is a blood sample. 
     
     
         9 . The method of any of  claims 1 , wherein the sample comprises pancreatic tissue, pancreatic tumor, pancreatic cells, or pancreatic juice. 
     
     
         10 . The method of any of  claims 1 , wherein the method further comprises determining in the sample the expression level of a second microRNA.