Patent ID: 9328379
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: C12Q

Claim Text:
1. A method for identifying oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) in a human patient comprising: a) obtaining nucleic acid from a test sample taken from the oral cavity mucosal tissues of the patient, wherein the test sample is from a specimen selected from the group consisting of a tissue specimen, a biopsy specimen, a surgical specimen, saliva, and a cytological specimen; b) obtaining nucleic acid from an oral mucosal non-neoplastic reference sample wherein the reference sample is from a specimen selected from the group consisting of a tissue specimen, a biopsy specimen, a surgical specimen, saliva, and a cytological specimen; c) performing bisulfite modification to the nucleic acid in steps a) and b); d) performing quantitative methylation specific PCR (QMSP) on the bisulfite modified nucleic acid from step c) using PCR primers and probes specific for the promoter region of the HOXA9 and NID2 genes, wherein the primers and probes are SEQ ID NOS:10-15; e) determining the promoter methylation level of the promoter regions HOXA9 and NID2 in the test sample and the reference sample; f) comparing the level of promoter methylation of HOXA9 and NID2 from the test sample of the patient, to the level of promoter methylation of HOXA9 and NID2 in the reference sample; g) identifying said patient as having OSCC when the level of methylation of the promoter regions of HOXA9 and NID2 are increased relative to the level of methylation of the promoter regions of HOXA9 and NID2 in the reference sample.