Patent ID: 7972817

Claim:
A method for detecting an amplifiable extracellular human messenger RNA in blood plasma or serum from a human without cancer, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) extracting nucleic acids from blood plasma or serum from a human without cancer, wherein a portion of the nucleic acids comprises extracellular RNA and a fraction of said extracellular RNA comprises an amplifiable extracellular human messenger RNA; b) amplifying said amplifiable human messenger RNA from said fraction of said extracellular RNA, or cDNA produced therefrom and producing an amplified product, wherein the amplification is performed either qualitatively or quantitatively using primers or labeled probes specific for said amplifiable extracellular human messenger RNA or cDNA produced therefrom; and c) detecting said amplifiable extracellular human messenger RNA in the blood plasma or serum from said human without cancer by detecting the amplified product.