Diagnostic Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets for Pancreatic Cancer

A method for monitoring progression of pancreatic cancer in a body sample from a human, comprising:

• contacting the body sample with at least one antibody that specifically binds to a protein selected from the group consisting of:
• Transferrin receptor (TFRC), regulatory subunit 12A of protein phosphatase 1 (PPP1R12A), and regulatory subunit 8 of the 26S proteasome (PSMC5);
• detecting amount of antigen bound to the antibody, wherein an increased amount of antigen bound to the antibody relative to an amount bound to a sample taken at a prior time indicates progression of the pancreatic cancer and a decreased amount of antigen bound to the antibody relative to amount bound to a sample taken at a prior time indicates responsiveness to an anti-cancer treatment.

A method to predict response to a pancreatic cancer vaccine in a human, comprising:

• contacting a body sample of the human with at least one antibody that specifically binds to a protein selected from the group consisting of:
• Transferrin receptor (TFRC), regulatory subunit 12A of protein phosphatase 1 (PPP1R12A), and regulatory subunit 8 of the 26S proteasome (PSMC5);
• detecting amount of antigen bound to the antibody, wherein a decreased amount of antigen bound to the antibody relative to an amount bound to a control sample prior to vaccination predicts long term disease-free survival.

A kit for detecting or monitoring pancreatic cancer disease or therapy, comprising:

• at least one antibody that specifically binds to an antigen selected from the group consisting of:
• Transferrin receptor (TFRC), regulatory subunit 12A of protein phosphatase 1 (PPP1R12A), and regulatory subunit 8 of the 26S proteasome (PSMC5);
• a detection means for detecting binding complexes of the antibody and antigens in a test sample.

A method to predict response to a pancreatic cancer vaccine in a human, comprising:

• contacting a sample of the human comprising antibodies with at least one protein selected from the group consisting of:
• Transferrin receptor (TFRC), regulatory subunit 12A of protein phosphatase 1 (PPP1R12A), and regulatory subunit 8 of the 26S proteasome (PSMC5);
• detecting amount of antibody bound to the at least one protein, wherein an increased amount of antibody bound to the at least one protein relative to an amount bound to a control sample prior to vaccination predicts long term disease-free survival.

-90. (canceled)