Screening test for early detection of colorectal cancer

Abstract

A method for detecting neoplasia or cancer of the colon or rectum comprising obtaining a sample of colorectal mucus from the rectum of a patient, and detecting the presence of a marker selected from the group consisting of long chain aliphatic aldehydes containing 12-20 carbon atoms, particularly CH3(CH2)14CHO and CH3(CH2)16CHO; and plasmalogen-bound precursors thereof. Preferably the method comprises treating the sample with Schiff's Reagent and detecting neoplasia or cancer of the colon or rectum based upon the coloration produced at about 560-590 nm in the sample by the treatment. The method does not require the step of adding an enzyme for detecting the disaccharide marker β-D-Gal(1-3)-D-GalNAc(α1-Thr/Ser) and a saccharide marker containing D-galactose and/or 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.