Patent ID: 6329179
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: C12Q,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for detecting tumor-derived or tumor-associated RNA in the plasma or serum fraction of blood from a human or animal as an aid in the detection, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, or evaluation of neoplastic disease, including early cancer, non-invasive cancer, premalignant states, invasive cancer, advanced cancer, and benign neoplasm, wherein the tumor-derived or tumor-associated RNA is tyrosinase RNA, keratin RNA, prostate-specific antigen RNA, alpha-fetoprotein RNA, BCR/abl RNA, carcinoembryonic antigen RNA, p97 RNA, MUC 18 RNA, PML/RAR RNA, CD44 RNA, EWS/FLI-1 RNA, EWS/ERG RNA, AML1/ETO RNA, MAGE RNA, beta human chorionic gonadotropin RNA, or telomerase-associated RNA, the method comprising the steps of:a) extracting mammalian RNA from plasma or serum, wherein a fraction of said extracted heterogeneous RNA comprises a tumor-derived or tumor-specific RNA species that is tyrosinase RNA, keratin RNA, prostate-specific antigen RNA, alpha-fetoprotein RNA, BCR/abl RNA, carcinoembryonic antigen RNA, p97 RNA, MUC 18 RNA, PML/RAR RNA, CD44 RNA, EWS/FLI-1 RNA, EWS/ERG RNA, AML1/ETO RNA, MAGE RNA, beta human chorionic gonadotropin RNA, or telomerase-associated RNA;b) amplifying or signal amplifying said fraction of the extracted RNA or corresponding cDNA, wherein amplification is performed in either a qualitative or quantitative fashion using primers or probes specific for the tumor-derived or tumor-associated RNA or corresponding cDNA; andc) detecting the amplified RNA or corresponding cDNA product, or the signal amplified product associated with the RNA or corresponding cDNA.