METHODS OF DIAGNOSING CANCER USING EPIGENETIC BIOMARKERS

摘要

The invention features methods of diagnosing cancer in a mammal (e.g., a human) by detecting a biomarker selected from a satellite II ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecule, a cancer-associated polycomb group (CAP) body, a cancer-associated satellite transcript (CAST) body, and UbH2A. Also featured is a method for identifying an agent for treating cancer in a mammal by contacting a cancer cell having a biomarker selected from a CAP body, a CAST body, and a satellite II RNA molecule with a test agent and determining whether the test agent reduces the level of the biomarker in the cancer cell. Other inventions featured are a method for determining whether a chemotherapeutic agent increases epigenetic imbalance of a cell and a method for detecting epigenetic imbalance by determining a copy number of a satellite II DNA locus at chromosome 1q12 in a cell.