Zinc-Based Screening Test and Kit for Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
AssigneeAndro Diagnostics
InventorChristopher Frederickson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides devices, kits, and methods for determining the zinc level in a fluid sample of a subject. Such determination is useful in screening for the presence of or the increased risk of having prostate cancer.
Claims28
A method for screening a subject for the presence or elevated risk of developing prostate cancer comprising:
- measuring a level of free zinc in a seminal or prostatic sample of the subject;
- and
- comparing the measured zinc level with a control zinc level to screen the subject for the presence or elevated risk of developing prostate cancer,
- wherein when the seminal sample of the subject is used, said step of measuring the level of free zinc comprises:
- subjecting the sample to the free zinc level measuring step within 5 minutes or less of the time the sample leaves the subject's body;
- or
- using the measured level of free zinc to determine the level of free zinc at the time the sample leaves the subject's body.
A method for determining the presence or elevated risk of developing prostate cancer in a subject, said method comprising:
- determining a level of free zinc in a seminal or prostatic sample of the subject;
- and
- correlating the level of free zinc to the presence of prostate cancer or elevated risk of developing prostate cancer in the subject,
- wherein when the seminal sample of the subject is used, said step of determining the free zinc level comprises:
- subjecting the sample to the free zinc level determination process within 5 minutes or less of the time the sample leaves the subject's body;
- or
- using the determined level of free zinc to determine the level of free zinc at the time the sample leaves the subject's body.
A device for visually determining a zinc level in a bodily fluid, said device comprising:
- a zinc-binding molecule that allows optical determination of the zinc level in a bodily fluid sample;
- means for confining the zinc-binding molecule to a region in space;
- and
- a surface effective for visually observing optical change of said zinc-binding molecule within the region thereby allowing optical determination of the zinc level.
A method of optically determining a zinc level in a bodily fluid of an individual comprising:
- contacting the bodily fluid sample obtained from the individual with a zinc-binding molecule, wherein the zinc-binding molecule has a different optical property when bound to zinc relative to its non-zinc bound state;
- and
- observing the optical property of the zinc-binding molecule, thereby determining the zinc level in the bodily fluid of the individual.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.