Method for predicting the risk of getting cancer or diagnosing cancer in a female subject

A method for predicting a risk of getting breast cancer or lung cancer in a female subject that does not suffer from breast cancer or lung cancer comprising:

• measuring the level of Pro-Enkephalin (SEQ ID No. 1), or one or more fragments thereof having at least 5 amino acids, in a sample of bodily fluid obtained from said female subject using an immunoassay that has antibodies or fragments of antibodies that bind to Pro-Enkephalin (SEQ ID No. 1) or said one or more fragments thereof;
• and
• correlating said level of Pro-Enkephalin (SEQ ID No. 1), or of said one or more fragments thereof, with risk for getting breast cancer or lung cancer, wherein a reduced level of Pro-Enkephalin (SEQ ID No. 1), or of said one or more fragments thereof is predictive for an enhanced risk of getting breast cancer or lung cancer in comparison to a normal female subject;
• wherein said one or more fragments thereof is selected from SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 10 and SEQ ID No. 11,
• wherein the reduced level of Pro-Enkephalin or fragments thereof is a level below 100 pmol/l,
• wherein the immunoassay comprises:
• a) bringing said serum or plasma sample into contact with a solid phase comprising a bound first antibody or first antibody fragment that binds to Pro-Enkephalin (SEQ ID No. 1) or said one or more fragments thereof whereby Pro-Enkephalin (SEQ ID No. 1) or said one or more fragments thereof within said sample react with said bound first antibody or antibody fragment to form a complex bound to said solid phase,
• b) contacting said solid phase with the bound complex with a second antibody or second antibody fragment, wherein said second antibody or second antibody fragment is labelled with a detectable label, and whereby the labelled second antibody or second antibody fragment binds to said complex, and
• c) measuring the level of Pro-Enkephalin (SEQ ID No. 1) or said one or more fragments thereof in said sample by measuring the amount of labelled second antibody or second antibody fragment bound to the complex on said solid phase.

A method comprising:

• obtaining a sample of bodily fluid from a female subject that does not suffer from breast cancer or lung cancer;
• combining said sample with a binder that binds to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 6;
• measuring the level of bound binder within said sample to be below 100 pmol/1;
• and
• subjecting said female subject to measures for preventing breast cancer or lung cancer, or subjecting said female subject to measures for treating breast cancer or lung cancer.