Annexin A2 as Immunological Target

A method of treating a patient with a tumor to diminish risk of tumor invasion and/or metastatic progression, comprising:

• administering monoclonal antibodies which specifically bind to AnnexinA2 to the patient.

A method of treating a patient with a tumor to diminish risk of tumor invasion and/or metastatic progression, comprising:

• administering ANXA2 protein or a nucleic acid encoding ANXA2 to the patient, whereby a T cell or B cell response to ANXA2 is induced.

A method of screening for candidate drugs which inhibit tumor invasion and/or metastasis, comprising:

• contacting one or more test substances with pancreatic cancer cells in culture;
• determining subcellular localization of ANXA2 after the contacting;
• identifying the one or more test substances as a candidate drug for inhibiting tumor invasion and/or metastasis if the test substance inhibits translocation of ANXA2 to the cell surface.

A method of screening for candidate drugs which inhibit tumor invasion and/or metastasis, comprising:

• contacting one or more test substances with pancreatic cancer cells in culture;
• determining phosphorylation status of Tyr23 of ANXA2;
• identifying the one or more test substances as candidate drugs for inhibiting tumor invasion and/or metastasis if the test substance inhibits phosphorylation of Tyr23 of ANXA2.

A method of screening for candidate drugs which inhibit tumor invasion and/or metastasis, comprising:

• contacting one or more test substances with cancer cells in an animal model of pancreatic cancer;
• determining subcellular localization of ANXA2 after the contacting;
• identifying the one or more test substances as a candidate drug for inhibiting tumor invasion and/or metastasis if the test substance inhibits translocation of ANXA2 to the cell surface.

A method of screening for candidate drugs which inhibit tumor invasion and/or metastasis, comprising:

• contacting one or more test substances with cancer cells in an animal model of pancreatic cancer;
• determining phosphorylation status of Tyr23 of ANXA2;
• identifying the one or more test substances as candidate drugs for inhibiting tumor invasion and/or metastasis if the test substance inhibits phosphorylation of Tyr23 of ANXA2.

A vaccine for treating patients with a tumor which has been resected, comprising:

• ANXA2 or a nucleic acid encoding ANXA2.