Methods of cancer diagnosis and therapy targeted against the cancer stemline
First Claim
1. A method for aiding in the diagnosis of cancer in an individual by detecting the presence or absence of a "cancer stem line" (defined as symmetrically dividing stem cells which form increased numbers (relative to normal individual) and/or aggregates of stem cells), the birth of which marks the initiation of cancer, said method comprising the following steps(i) quantifying in vivo or in vitro the number of stem cells in an individual or tissue sample obtained from an individual and/or detecting the presence or absence of stem cell aggregates in an individual;
- (ii) comparing the result of (i) to that of a normal (non-cancerous) individual; and
(iii) positively diagnosing cancer based on either or both (1) an increased number of stem cells relative to a normal individual or (2) the presence of stem cell aggregates or negatively diagnosing cancer based on either or both (1) the lack of a detectable increase in stem cells relative to a normal individual or (2) the absence of stem cell aggregate.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improved methods for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer which involve the targeting of slow-growing, relatively mutationally-spared cancer stemline are provided. These methods are an improvement over previous cancer detection and therapeutic methods because they provide for very early cancer detection and treatment and reduce the likelihood of clinical relapse after treatment.
167 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A method for aiding in the diagnosis of cancer in an individual by detecting the presence or absence of a "cancer stem line" (defined as symmetrically dividing stem cells which form increased numbers (relative to normal individual) and/or aggregates of stem cells), the birth of which marks the initiation of cancer, said method comprising the following steps
(i) quantifying in vivo or in vitro the number of stem cells in an individual or tissue sample obtained from an individual and/or detecting the presence or absence of stem cell aggregates in an individual; -
(ii) comparing the result of (i) to that of a normal (non-cancerous) individual; and (iii) positively diagnosing cancer based on either or both (1) an increased number of stem cells relative to a normal individual or (2) the presence of stem cell aggregates or negatively diagnosing cancer based on either or both (1) the lack of a detectable increase in stem cells relative to a normal individual or (2) the absence of stem cell aggregate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for aiding in the diagnosis of cancer comprising the following steps:
-
(i) assaying for the presence of a cancer stem line (defined as symmetrically dividing stem cells which form increased number and/or aggregates of stem cells, the birth of which marks the initiation of cancer) in a blood or tissue sample obtained from an individual by detecting whether said sample has an increased amount of a marker expressed by normal stem cells relative to a normal (non-cancerous) blood or tissue sample; and (ii) correlating an increased amount of said marker expressed by normal stem cells to a positive diagnosis for cancer or correlating the absence of an increased amount of said marker to a negative diagnosis for cancer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification