Patent ID: 7838240

Claim:
A method which is prognostic for nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma afflicting a vertebrate, wherein the tumor T-stage is 2 or lower, said method comprising: (a) detecting the presence or absence of MN/CA9 gene expression product in a sample comprising neoplastic cells taken from said vertebrate, (b) if MN/CA9 gene expression product is present in said sample, quantitating the level and/or extent of said MN/CA9 gene expression product relative to the number of cells in said sample, and (c) determining that said vertebrate has a poorer prognosis if the level and/or extent of MN/CA9 gene expression product of steps (a) and (b) indicates that 50% or fewer of cells in said sample express MN/CA9 gene expression product; wherein said MN/CA9 gene expression product is encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (1) SEQ ID NO: 1's coding region; (2) nucleotide sequences that hybridize under stringent hybridization conditions of 50% formamide at 42 degree C. to complement of SEQ ID NO: 1's coding region; and (3) nucleotide sequences that differ from SEQ ID NO: 1's coding region or from the nucleotide sequences of (2) in codon sequence due to the degeneracy of the genetic code; and wherein if said MN/CA9 gene expression product is MN/CA IX protein or MN/CA IX polypeptide, said MN/CA IX protein or said MN/CA IX polypeptide is specifically bound by the M75 monoclonal antibody that is secreted from the hybridoma VU-M75 which has Accession No. ATCC HB 11128.