Patent ID: 7910293
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for the early detection of head and neck cancer comprising: (a) obtaining a sample biopsy from a subject; (b) determining the expression level of at least one biomarker in said sample biopsy, wherein said at least one biomarker is selected from the group consisting of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, TGF-β, TNF-α, MMP-7, plasminogen activated (PA), uPA, IGF, and INF-2 proteins, and; (c) comparing the expression level of said biomarker(s) with the average expression levels of said biomarker(s) from control biopsies and advanced stage cancer biopsies; wherein in said control biopsies are from subjects who are both smokers and drinkers but had not yet developed head and neck cancer, and wherein a determination that the level of expression of at least one biomarker in said sample is greater than the average level of expression of the same biomarker in said control biopsies, but is less than the average biomarker expression level of the cancer biopsies is indicative of the early detection of cancer in the subject.