Biomarkers of Cancer

Abstract

Methods for diagnosing cancer based on detecting the presence of increased levels of expression of satellite repeats and/or Line-1.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method of treating cancer in a subject, the method comprising:
 quantifying a level of Long Interspersed Nucleotide Element-1 (LINE-1) in a sample from the subject to obtain a test value;   quantifying a level of LINE-1 in a reference sample, wherein an increase in LINE-1 in the test value compared to the level of LINE-1 in the reference sample indicates that the subject has cancer; and   administering a surgical intervention, a chemotherapy, a radiation therapy, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the sample comprises free RNA in serum or RNA within exosomes in blood. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the samples is known or suspected to comprise tumor cells. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the sample is a blood sample known or suspected of comprising circulating tumor cells (CTCs), or a biopsy sample known or suspected of comprising tumor cells. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the cancer is a solid tumor of epithelial origin. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the solid tumor of epithelial origin is pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cancer, ovarian cancer, or colon cancer. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the level of LINE-1 in the sample and the level of LINE-1 in the reference sample is determined from levels of protein expression of variant 1 and/or variant 2 of LINE-1 both in the sample and in the reference sample. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the level of LINE-1 in the sample and the level of LINE-1 in the reference sample is determined from levels of mRNA expression of LINE-1 in the sample and in the reference sample. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising identifying the cancer as a precancerous lesion, an early stage tumor, or an advanced tumor based on the increase in LINE-1 in the test value compared to the level of LINE-1 in the reference sample. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the reference sample is from a normal, non-cancerous cell. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the reference sample is from the subject. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the reference sample is from a different subject. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of administering comprises administering a surgical intervention. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of administering comprises administering chemotherapy. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of administering comprises administering radiation therapy. 
     
     
         40 . A method of treating pancreatic cancer in a subject, the method comprising:
 quantifying a level of LINE-1 in a sample from the subject to obtain a test value; and   quantifying a level of LINE-1 in a reference sample, wherein an increase in the test value compared to the level of LINE-1 in the reference sample indicates that the subject has cancer; and   administering a surgical intervention, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the level of LINE-1 in the sample and the level of LINE-1 in the reference sample is determined from levels of protein expression of variant 1 and/or variant 2 of LINE-1 both in the sample and in the reference sample. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the level of LINE-1 in the sample and the level of LINE-1 in the reference sample is determined from levels of mRNA expression of LINE-1 in the sample and in the reference sample.