Epithelial cancer evaluation using beta defensin
AssigneeCase Western Reserve University
InventorsAaron Weinberg, Santosh Ghosh, Umut A. Gurkan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of detecting epithelial cancer is described that includes the steps of: (a) determining the level of beta defensin 3 (BD-3) and beta defensin 2 (BD-2) in a suspect sample obtained from a subject; (b) comparing the level of BD-3 to BD-2 determined in the suspect sample to obtain a suspect BD-3/BD-2 ratio, (c) comparing the suspect BD-3/BD-2 ratio to a healthy BD-3/BD-2 ratio to obtain a diagnostic BD-3/BD-2 ratio; and (d) characterizing the subject as having epithelial cancer if the diagnostic BD-3/BD-2 ratio is greater than 1. A microfluidic device for detecting epithelial cancer using the diagnostic BD-3/BD-2 ratio is also described.
Claims9
A method of detecting and treating oral squamous cell carcinoma in a human subject, comprising the steps of:
- (a) detecting the level of beta defensin 3 (BD-3) and beta defensin 2 (BD-2) in a suspect oral mucosal sample obtained from a subject;
- (b) comparing the level of BD-3 to BD-2 detected in the suspect oral mucosal sample to obtain a suspect BD-3/BD-2 ratio;
- (c) comparing the suspect BD-3/BD-2 ratio to a healthy BD-3/BD-2 ratio to obtain a diagnostic BD-3/BD-2 ratio;
- (d) characterizing the subject as having oral squamous cell carcinoma after determining the BD-3/BD-2 ratio is greater than 1;
- and
- (e) treating the oral squamous cell carcinoma with a therapy selected from the group consisting of surgery to remove the cancer, freezing cancer cells, localized heat to destroy cancer cells, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted drug therapy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.