Diagnosis of benign and cancerous growths by measuring circulating tumor stem cells and serum AnnexinA2

A method of identifying circulating tumor cells, the method comprising

• removing red blood cells from a subject's blood sample to result in a first population including white blood cells and epithelial cells;
• depleting white blood cells from the first population by positive selection of CD45+ cells to result in a second population substantially depleted of CD45+ cells;
• measuring DCAMKL positive cells in the CD45+ depleted second population by contacting the population with an anti- DCAMKL antibody, wherein a cell positive for DCAMKL in the second population is a circulating tumor cell and wherein the depletion of the white blood cells and the measurement of DCAMKL positive cells comprise the use of antibody-coupled magnetic beads.

A method of identifying circulating tumor cells, the method comprising

• removing red blood cells from a subject's blood sample to result in a first population including white blood cells and epithelial cells;
• depleting white blood cells from the first population by positive selection of CD45+ cells to result in a second population substantially depleted of CD45+ cells;
• measuring Lgr5 positive cells in the CD45+ depleted second population by contacting the population with an anti-Lgr5 antibody, wherein a cell positive for Lgr5 in the second population is a circulating tumor cell and wherein the depletion of the white blood cells and the measurement of Lgr5 positive cells comprise the use of antibody-coupled magnetic beads.