Patent ID: 7951529
Filing Date: 2011-05-31
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for diagnosing breast cancer in a subject comprising: (a) measuring biomarkers human inter alpha trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4 (ITIH4) fragment 1b (BC-1b), and either C3a-desArgΔ8 (BC-2) or C3a-desArg (BC-3) in serum from the subject with mass spectrometry; and (b) comparing the measured level of ITIH4 fragment 1b (BC-1b) to a normal control level, and comparing the measured level of C3a-desArgΔ8 (BC-2) or C3a-desArg (BC-3) to a non-cancer control, wherein detection of a reduced level of ITIH4 fragment 1b (BC1-b), and an increased level of either C3a-desArgΔ8 (BC-2) or C3a-desArg (BC-3) correlates with breast cancer, and failure to detect a reduced level of ITIH4 fragment 1b and an increased level of C3a-desArgΔ8 (BC-2) or C3a-desArg (BC-3) correlates with non-breast cancer, wherein the ITIH4 fragment 1b (BC1-b) has an m/z of about 4.6 kD and the C3a-desArgΔ8 (BC-2) consists of SEQ ID NO:2 and the C3a-desArg (BC-3) consists of SEQ ID NO:1.