Methylation of estrogen receptor alpha and uses thereof
Methods for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer based on the methylation status of the ER-α gene promoter are disclosed. Methylation of the ER-α gene promoter is indicative of cancer and unfavorable prognosis. The cancer can be treated with a demethylation agent.
1. A method of determining whether a human subject is suffering from melanoma cancer, comprising:
providing a serum-sample from a human subject suspected of having melanoma cancer;
isolating an acellular DNA sample from the serum sample;
determining the methylation level of the estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) gene promoter in the acellular DNA sample; and
determining that the human subject is suffering from melanoma cancer when the methylation level of the ER-α gene promoter in the acellular DNA sample is higher than a control methylation level.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melanoma cancer is a primary or metastatic melanoma cancer.
3. A method of predicting survival in a human subject suffering from melanoma cancer, comprising:
providing a serum sample from a human subject having melanoma cancer;
isolating an acellular DNA sample from the serum sample;
determining the methylation level of the ER-α gene promoter in the acellular DNA sample; and
predicting a shorter survival when the methylation level of the ER-α gene promoter in the acellular DNA sample is higher than a control methylation level.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the shorter survival is a shorter progression-free survival or overall survival.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the melanoma cancer is a primary or metastatic melanoma cancer.
6. A method of predicting tumor progression in a human subject having melanoma cancer, comprising:
providing a melanoma cancer tumor tissue sample of the human subject having melanoma cancer;
isolating a cellular DNA sample from the melanoma cancer tumor tissue sample;
determining the methylation level of the ER-α gene promoter in the cellular DNA sample;
predicting a more advanced tumor progression when the methylation level of the ER-α gene promoter in the cellular DNA sample is higher than a control methylation level.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the melanoma cancer is a primary or metastatic melanoma cancer.
8. A method of predicting tumor progression in a human subject having melanoma cancer, comprising:
providing a serum sample from the human subject having melanoma cancer;
isolating an acellular DNA sample from the serum sample;
determining the methylation level of the ER-α gene promoter in the acellular DNA sample;
predicting a more advanced tumor progression when the methylation level of the ER-α gene promoter in the acellular DNA sample is higher than a control methylation level.
9. The method of claim 3 , further comprising predicting a poor response to biochemotherapy (BC) when the subject having melanoma cancer has a methylation level of the ER-α gene promoter in the sample DNA that is higher than a control methylation level.