EVALUATION OF ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE AND BREAST USING ANTI-DYSTROGLYCAN ANTIBODIES

摘要

Disclosed is a method for diagnosing the tumorigenic grade of a malignant tissue, especially human adenoarcinoma, for detecting a cancerous disease state in a tissue of a patient, or for identifying an individual at risk for the development of cancer. The method entails determining the amount of dystroglycan protein or mRNA of the malignant tissue relative to a standard. Similarly, a method for indentifying individuals at risk for developing cancer by screening for mutations in the dystroglycan gene, e.g. allelic loss of human chromosome 3p21.