Measuring a level of a 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in a sample from a subject having a cancer or suspected of having cancer

1. A method comprising:

a) measuring a level of a 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in a nucleotide sequence from a subject, wherein the subject is a subject having a cancer or suspected of having cancer; and

b) comparing the level of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence from the subject to a level of a 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in a control sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises contacting a glucose or glucose derivative donor substrate to the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the glucose or glucose derivative donor substrate comprises a label or a tag.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the glucose derivative donor substrate comprises uridine diphosphate glucose (UDPG).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises contacting an agent to the 5 hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence, wherein the agent comprises an antibody, an antigen-binding portion thereof, an intrabody, or a protein.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the agent selectively binds to the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the agent is engineered to increase its binding affinity or selectivity for 5-hydroxymethylcytosine.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the agent comprises a label or a tag.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises imaging analysis or mass spectrometry.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises a thin-layer chromatography, a blotting assay or a linked enzyme mediated substrate conversion.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nucleotide sequence is obtained from a tissue sample of the subject.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the tissue sample comprises bone marrow.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the tissue sample comprises a diseased tissue sample.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control sample is a normal control sample, and wherein a difference between the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence and the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the normal control sample is indicative of the subject having the cancer.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein a difference between the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence and the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the control sample provides a likelihood of the subject having the cancer.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control sample comprises a diseased tissue or a diseased cell, and wherein the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence that is similar to the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the control sample is indicative of the subject having the cancer.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence from the subject is higher than the level of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the control sample.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the nucleotide sequence from the subject is lower than the level of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the control sample.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising treating the subject.