METHODS FOR DETECTING COLON CANCER FROM STOOL SAMPLES

摘要

The present invention provides methods for screening for the presence of a s ubpopulation of cancerous or precancerous cells in a heterogeneous cellular sample, such as a stool sample. The methods take adva ntage of the recognition that cellular debris from cance rous and precancerous cells is deposited onto only a longitudinal stripe of stool as the stool is forming in the colon. Accordingly, meth ods of the invention comprise obtaining a representative sample, such as a cross-sectio nal sample of stool in order to ensure that any cellular debris that is shed by colonic cells is obtained in the sample.