Method for discriminating between prostate cancer and a benign prostate disease

A method for detecting a reactive mucin-1 and a total mucin-1 in a subject, said method comprising:

• (i)(a) measuring the concentration of said reactive mucin-1, said reactive mucin-1 being reactive with a lectin that recognizes and binds to an N-acetyl-D-galactosamine→serine (threonine) residue, in a blood sample originated from said subject, to provide a measured reactive mucin-1 concentration value;
• (i)(b) determining a reactive mucin-1 threshold value comprising:
• (i)(b)(1) measuring the concentration of said reactive mucin-1 in blood samples from a plurality of patients who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer,
• (i)(b)(2) measuring the concentration of said reactive mucin-1 in blood samples from plurality of patients who have been diagnosed with a benign prostate disease, and
• (i)(b)(3) selecting, as said reactive mucin-1 threshold value, the lowest concentration value measured from step (i)(b)(2) which is higher than the highest concentration value measured from step (i)(b)(1);
• (ii)(a) measuring the concentration of said total mucin-1 in said blood sample originated from said subject to provide a measured total mucin-1 concentration value;
• (ii)(b) determining a total mucin-1 threshold value comprising:
• (ii)(b)(1) measuring the concentration of said total mucin-1 in blood samples from said plurality of patients who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer,
• (ii)(b)(2) measuring the concentration of said total mucin-1 in blood samples from said plurality of patients who have been diagnosed with a benign prostate disease, and
• (ii)(b)(3) selecting, as said total mucin-1 threshold value, the lowest concentration value measured from step (ii)(b)(2) which is higher than the highest concentration value measured from step (ii)(b)(1);
• (iii)(a) determining whether said measured reactive mucin-1 concentration value is greater than said reactive mucin-1 threshold value;
• and
• (iii)(b) determining whether said measured total mucin-1 concentration value is greater than said total mucin-1 threshold value.

A method detecting a reactive mucin-1 and a total prostate-specific antigen in a subject, said method comprising:

• (i)(a) measuring the concentration of said reactive mucin-1, said reactive mucin-1 being reactive with a lectin that recognizes and binds to an N-acetyl-D-galactosamine→serine (threonine) residue, in a blood sample originated from said subject, to provide a measured reactive mucin-1 concentration value;
• (i)(b) determining a reactive mucin-1 threshold value comprising:
• (i)(b)(1) measuring the concentration of said reactive mucin-1 in blood samples from a plurality of patients who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer,
• (i)(b)(2) measuring the concentration of said reactive mucin-1 in blood samples from plurality of patients who have been diagnosed with a benign prostate disease, and
• (i)(b)(3) selecting, as said reactive mucin-1 threshold value, the lowest concentration value measured from step (i)(b)(2) which is higher than the highest concentration value measured from step (i)(b)(1);
• (ii)(a) measuring the concentration of said total prostate-specific antigen in a blood sample originated from said subject to provide a measured total prostate-specific antigen concentration value;
• (ii)(b) determining a total prostate-specific antigen threshold value comprising:
• (ii)(b)(1) measuring the concentration of total prostate-specific antigen in blood samples from said plurality of patients who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer,
• (ii)(b)(2) measuring the concentration of total prostate-specific antigen in blood samples from said plurality of patients who have been diagnosed with a benign prostate disease, and
• (ii)(b)(3) selecting, as said total prostate-specific antigen threshold value, the lowest concentration value measured from step (ii)(b)(1) which is higher than the highest concentration value measured from step (ii)(b)(2);
• (iii) determining whether said measured reactive mucin-1 concentration value is greater than said reactive mucin-1 threshold value;
• and
• (iv) determining whether said measured total prostate-specific antigen concentration value is greater than said total prostate-specific antigen threshold value.