Span-xb gene and protein for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer

摘要

The present invention relates to methods for diagnosing cancer in a subject The method involves obtaining a biological sample from a subject and measuring SPAN-Xb expression level in the biological sample. The SPAN-Xb expression level in the biological sample is compared to the SPAN-Xb expression level in a control sample from a subject devoid of cancer, where a greater SPAN-Xb expression level in the biological sample compared to the SPAN-Xb expression level in the control sample is indicative of the subject having cancer. Methods for monitoring progression/regression of cancer in a subject are also disclosed. The present invention also relates to methods of treating a subject with cancer. The method involves administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an agent capable of eliciting an immunological response against SPAN-Xb protein or specifically recognizing a SPAN-Xb protein, under conditions effective to-treat a cancer characterized by cells expressing SPAN-Xb.