Patent ID: 7655411

Claim:
A method to detect the presence and/or clinical course of a neoplastic disease in an individual, wherein the method comprises the steps of: (1) obtaining a plasma sample of an individual suspected of having, or known to have, a neoplastic disease; (2) measuring the individual's plasma level of a thrombospondin fragment or fragments; (3) utilizing the result of step (2) in a diagnosis as to whether the individual has a neoplastic disease such that the greater the plasma level of said thrombospondin fragment or fragments, the more likely that the diagnosis will be that a neoplastic disease is present in said individual; said fragment or fragments being at least 6 continuous amino acyl residues in length but of a molecular weight less than 110 kDa; wherein the size in kDa is that determined by gel electrophoresis after disulfide bond reduction.