Extracellular vesicle derived MASP-2 directed cancer treatment methods

A method for determining whether to continue or discontinue a first-line cancer therapy in a pancreatic cancer patient in need thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) obtaining a blood sample from the patient prior to or at commencement of a first-line cancer therapy;
• (b) isolating extracellular vesicles from the blood sample and determining, from the isolated extracellular vesicles, a baseline extracellular vesicle-derived mannan-binding protein-associated serine protease-2 (EV-MASP-2) level for the patient,
• (c) administering the first-line cancer therapy to the patient according to a treatment regimen over a treatment time period,
• (d) obtaining a blood sample from the patient during the treatment time period;
• (e) isolating extracellular vesicles from the blood sample obtained during the treatment time period and determining, from the isolated extracellular vesicles, a treatment EV-MASP-2 level;
• (f) comparing the treatment EV-MASP-2 level to the baseline EV-MASP-2 level;
• and
• (g-i) continuing administering the first-line cancer therapy according to the treatment regimen if the treatment EV-MASP-2 level has decreased from the baseline EV-MASP-2 level by 10% or greater;
• or
• (g-ii) discontinuing administering the first-line cancer therapy according to the treatment regimen if the treatment EV-MASP-2 level has not decreased from the baseline EV-MASP-2 level, or if the treatment EV-MASP-2 level has decreased from the baseline EV-MASP-2 level by less than 10%.