Fibrinogen Alpha and Hemoglobin Polypeptides as Cancer Markers

A method for monitoring the progression of a cancer in a patient, comprising

• a. detecting the presence of a fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide in a first sample from said patient at a first period of time,
• b. detecting the presence of said fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide in a second sample from said patient at a second period of time
• c. comparing the amount of the fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide detected in step (a) to the amount detected in step (b), wherein the cancer is progressing if the amount of the fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide decreases over time, whereas the cancer is not progressing if the amount of the polypeptide remains constant or increases over time.

A method of diagnosing cancer in a subject comprising, detecting the presence of a fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide in a sample from the subject;

• determining the level of the fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide in said sample to provide a test value;
• and comparing the test value to a standard value, wherein a test value below the standard value is indicative of a cancer.

A method determining whether a patient with a cancer will likely be responsive to systemic therapy comprising

• a. detecting the presence of a fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide in a first sample from said patient obtained prior to surgical removal of said cancer,
• b. detecting the presence of said fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide in a second sample from said patient obtained after surgical removal of said cancer and
• c. comparing the amount of the fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide detected in step (a) to the amount detected in step (b), wherein the patient will likely be responsive to systemic treatment if the amount of the fibrinogen αC domain polypeptide increases after surgical removal of said cancer, whereas the patient will likely not be responsive to systemic treatment if the amount of the polypeptide remains constant or decreases after surgical removal of said cancer.

A method for facilitating the diagnosis of a cancer in a subject, comprising detecting a hemoglobin polypeptide in a sample from said subject, wherein the an increase of said polypeptide in said sample compared to a normal control sample indicates of the presence of a cancer in said subject.

A method for monitoring the progression of a cancer in a patient, comprising

• a. detecting the presence of a hemoglobin polypeptide in a first sample from said patient at a first period of time,
• b. detecting the presence of said hemoglobin polypeptide in a second sample from said patient at a second period of time
• c. comparing the amount of the hemoglobin polypeptide detected in step (a) to the amount detected in step (b), wherein the cancer is progressing if the amount of the hemoglobin polypeptide decreases over time, whereas the cancer is not progressing if the amount of the hemoglobin polypeptide remains constant or increases over time.

A method of diagnosing cancer in a subject comprising, detecting the presence of a hemoglobin polypeptide in a sample from the subject;

• determining the level of the hemoglobin polypeptide in said sample to provide a test value;
• and comparing the test value to a standard value, wherein a test value above the standard value is indicative of a cancer.

A method determining whether a patient with a cancer will likely be responsive to systemic therapy comprising

• a. detecting the presence of a hemoglobin polypeptide in a first sample from said patient obtained prior to surgical removal of said cancer,
• b. detecting the presence of said hemoglobin polypeptide in a second sample from said patient obtained after surgical removal of said cancer and
• c. comparing the amount of the hemoglobin polypeptide detected in step (a) to the amount detected in step (b), wherein the patient will likely be responsive to systemic treatment if the amount of the hemoglobin polypeptide decrease after surgical removal of said cancer, whereas the patient will likely not be responsive to systemic treatment if the amount of the polypeptide remains constant or increase after surgical removal of said cancer.