Method for detecting DNA methylation in cancer cells

A method for the diagnosis, prognosis or detection of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), or of minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, comprising:

• contacting genomic DNA, obtained from a biological sample of a human subject and having at least one genomic DNA target sequence selected from the CpG island group consisting of DLC-1, PCDHGA 12, CDH1, and portions thereof, with a plurality of different methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes each having at least one CpG methylation-sensitive cleavage site within the at least one genomic DNA target sequence, wherein the at least one target sequence is either cleaved or not cleaved by each of said plurality of different methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes;
• amplifying the contacted genomic DNA with at least one primer set defining an amplicon comprising the at least one target sequence, or the portion thereof, having the at least one CpG methylation-sensitive cleavage site for each of the plurality of different methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes to provide an amplificate;
• and
• determining, based on a presence or absence of, or on a pattern or property of the at least one such amplificate relative to that of a normal control, a methylation state of at least one CpG dinucleotide sequence of the at least one target nucleic acid sequence, wherein a method for the diagnosis, prognosis or detection of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), or of minimal residual disease (MRD) in the human subject is afforded.