IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,592,320
Granted Patent B2
US 12,592,320 · App. 18/620,367 · Granted Mar 31, 2026

Methods of detecting cancer

Inventors: Shiyong Li (Shenzhen, CN); Wei Wu (Shenzhen, CN); Mao Mao (San Diego, CA)
Assignees: SeekIn, Inc.; SeekIn Inc.
G16H50/20G01N33/575G01N33/68G06N20/10G06N20/20G16H50/30
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,592,320
App. No.
18/620,367
Filed
Mar 28, 2024
Granted
Mar 31, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
1687
USPC
702/19
Abstract

The disclosure is related to methods of cancer early detection. In some embodiments, a panel of selected protein tumor markers are used for effective and affordable multi-cancer early detection.

Claims (28)

1 . A method for early detection of the presence of cancer in a subject, the method comprising:

(a) collecting a blood sample of the subject;

(b) quantifying the level of a panel of biomarkers from the blood sample of the subject using one or more immunoassays, wherein the panel of biomarkers comprises AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, and CYFRA 21-1;

(c) training a machine learning system to generate a classifier using a plurality of parameters for inputs on a cohort population comprising a group of cancer patients and a group of non-cancer individuals using a machine learning algorithm selected from the group consisting of Generalized Linear Model (GLM), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM), wherein the plurality of parameters comprises the level of the panel of biomarkers and at least one clinical parameter;

(d) determining a cancer predicting score of the subject by applying the classifier obtained in step (c) to the quantified level of the panel of biomarkers obtained in step (b) together with the at least one clinical parameter of the subject;

(e) performing an Outlier Analysis by:

(i) determining a cut-off value for each biomarker in the panel of biomarkers in step (b), wherein the cut-off value for a biomarker represents an abnormal high level of the biomarker in non-cancer individuals,

(ii) comparing the quantified level of each biomarker in step (b) with the corresponding cut-off value, wherein:

if any of the quantified level of the panel of biomarkers in step (b) is higher than the corresponding cut-off value, assigning a cancer predicting score to the subject that indicates the subject has cancer; and

if none of the quantified level of the panel of biomarkers in step (b) is higher than the corresponding cut-off value, assigning the cancer predicting score obtained in step (d) to the subject, wherein the cancer predicting score obtained in step (d) is an indicator of whether the subject has cancer

(f) determining that the subject has cancer; and

(g) treating the subject with a cancer therapy, wherein the subject has lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, or lymphoma; wherein the cancer therapy comprises surgery or chemotherapy.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parameters further comprises X-ray imaging, mammography, computerized tomography (CT), or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the panel of biomarkers are selected from at least seven different biomarkers selected from AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, CYFRA 21-1, ProGRP, SCC, and PSA.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the panel of biomarkers comprises or consists of AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CA72-4, CEA, and CYFRA 21-1.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a male and the panel of biomarkers comprises or consists of AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, CYFRA 21-1, ProGRP, SCC, and PSA; or wherein the subject is a female and the panel of biomarkers comprises or consists of AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, CYFRA 21-1, ProGRP, and SCC.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the machine learning system is trained using GLM.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises training the machine learning system using at least two machine learning algorithms selected from the group consisting of GLM, GBM, RF, and SVM.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the method comprises applying GLM to the results from the at least two machine learning algorithms.

9 . The method of any one of claim 1 , wherein the quantified level of the panel of biomarkers is normalized by Modified Z-Score, wherein the Modified Z-Score is obtained by calculating the difference between the observed value and the median value, divided by the median absolute deviation (MAD).

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method can aid early detection of the presence of at least two cancer types simultaneously.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the panel of biomarkers consists of AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, and CYFRA 21-1.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a male and the panel of biomarkers comprises or consists of AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, CYFRA 21-1, and PSA; or wherein the subject is a female and the panel of biomarkers comprises or consists of AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, and CYFRA 21-1.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a male and the panel of biomarkers comprises or consists of AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, CYFRA 21-1, SCC, and PSA; or wherein the subject is a female and the panel of biomarkers comprises or consists of AFP, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, CEA, CYFRA 21-1, and SCC.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises determining the tissue of origin (TOO) in the subject, wherein the subject is indicated to have a cancer based on the machine learning-based supervised algorithm using the panel of biomarkers.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more immunoassays are conducted using an automated immunoassay analyzer.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more immunoassays comprise an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA), a fluoroimmunoassay (HA), an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, an enzyme immunoassay (EIA), a radioimmunoassay (RIA), a counting immunoassay (CIA), a filter media enzyme immunoassay (META), a fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA), an agglutination immunoassay, a multiplex fluorescent immunoassay, or an immunohistochemistry assay.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the machine learning system is trained on at least 1000 subjects.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2026
From: SEEKIN, INC., SHENZHEN, CHINA
To: SEEKIN INC.
Reel/Frame 074616/0643 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 16, 2024
From: MAO, MAO
To: SEEKIN INC.
Reel/Frame 068921/0356 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 16, 2024
From: LI, SHIYONG; WU, WEI
To: SEEKIN, INC., SHENZHEN, CHINA
Reel/Frame 068921/0364 →
Priority Claims (2)
WO PCT/CN2023/099463 · Jun 9, 2023 · international
WO PCT/CN2024/076432 · Feb 6, 2024 · international
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240412868A1 · Dec 12, 2024
References Cited (65)
US 11621080B2 · Cohen et al. · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20130288244A1 · Deciu et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20170024513A1 · Lo et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180068083A1 · Cohen et al. · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180307796A1 · Jiang et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20200005901A1 · Cohen et al. · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210256323A1 · Cohen et al. · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220136062A1 · Li et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230223145A1 · Cohen et al. · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230263477A1 · Peichang et al. · 2023 [cited by examiner]
CN 101365950A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
CN 102128876A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
CN 103484566A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 106407742A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 106661614A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 107292114A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 107723363A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 110739027A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108322347A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108446848A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 109036571A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 109097417A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 111370056A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 111370057A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 111370061A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 112086129A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 112397143A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112410422A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112927755A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 117831690A · 2024 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2016090584A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2016094330A2 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2016135478A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019018374A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019047181A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2020094775A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2024250730A1 · 2024 [cited by applicant]
Holdenrieder, Stefan et al. “Clinically Meaningful Use of Blood Tumor Markers in Oncology.” BioMed Research International 2016 (2016): 1-10. Web. (Year: 2016). [cited by examiner]
Mizono et al. “Clinical Utility of Tumor Markers.” Open Journal of Pathology n. pag. Web. (Year: 2021). [cited by examiner]
Fortner, Renée T et al. “Correlates of Circulating Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Markers and Their Contribution to Discrimination of Early Detection Models: Results from the EPIC Cohort.” Journal of ovarian research 10… [cited by examiner]
Molina, Rafael et al. “Assessment of a Combined Panel of Six Serum Tumor Markers for Lung Cancer.” American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine 193.4 (2016): 427-437. Web. (Year: 2016). [cited by examiner]
Addeo et al., “Measuring tumor mutation burden in cell-free DNA: advantages and limits,” Translational Lung Cancer Research, Aug. 2019, 8(4):553-555. [cited by applicant]
Babayan et al., “Advances in liquid biopsy approaches for early detection and monitoring of cancer,” Genome Medicine, Mar. 20, 2018, 10:21, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Chang et al., “Non-invasive detection of lymphoma with circulating tumor DNA features and protein tumor markers,” Frontiers, Jan. 19, 2024, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Cohen et al., “Detection and localization of surgically resectable cancers with a multi-analyte blood test,” Science, Feb. 23, 2018, 359(6378):926-930. [cited by applicant]
Del Villano et al., “Radioimmunometric assay for a monoclonal antibody-defined tumor marker, CA 19-9,” Clinical Chemistry, Mar. 1, 1983, 29(3):549-552 (Abstract Only). [cited by applicant]
Gusnanto et al., “Estimating optimal window size for analysis of low-coverage next-generation sequence data,” Bioinformatics, Jul. 1, 2014, 30(13):1823-1829. [cited by applicant]
Ji et al., “Identifying occult maternal malignancies from 1/93 million pregnant women undergoing noninvasive prenatal screening tests,” Genetics in Medicine, Apr. 12, 2019, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
Li et al., “HIVID: An efficient method to detect HBV integration using low coverage sequencing,” Genomics, Oct. 2013, 102(4):338-344. [cited by applicant]
Li et al., “Mapping short DNA sequencing reads and calling variants using mapping quality score,” Genome Res., Aug. 19, 2008, 18:1851-1858. [cited by applicant]
Locker et al., “ASCO 2006 Update of Recommendations for the Use of Tumor Markers in Gastrointestinal Cancer,” Journal of Clinical Oncology, Nov. 20, 2006, 24(33):5313-5327. [cited by applicant]
Muraro et al., “Generation and Characterization of B72.3 Second Generation Monoclonal Antibodies Reactive with the Tumor-Associated Glycoprotein 72 Antigen,” Cancer Research, Aug. 15, 1988, 48(16):4588-4596. [cited by applicant]
Rizvi et al., “Mutational landscape determines sensitivity to PD-1 blockade in non-small cell lung cancer,” Science, Apr. 3, 2015, 348(6230):124-128. [cited by applicant]
Ulrich et al., “Cell-free DNA in oncology: gearing up for clinic,” Annals of Laboratory Medicine, 2018, 38(1):1-8. [cited by applicant]
Zhu, et al., “Circulating cell-free DNA fragmentation is a stepwise and conserved process linked to apoptosis,” BMC Biology, Nov. 13, 2023, 21(1):1-11. [cited by applicant]
Shendure et al., “DNA sequencing at 40: past, present and future,” Nature, Oct. 19, 2017, 550:345-353. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report in European Appln. No. 24709628.2, mailed on Sep. 5, 2025, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
Fang et al., “Practical stability assessment of whole-genome methylation sequencing of plasma cell-free DNA,” Chinese Journal of Biotechnology, Dec. 25, 2019, 35(12):2284-2294 (with English Abstract). [cited by applicant]
Iglewicz et al., “Outlier Labeling,” How to Detect and Handle Outliers, Nov. 8, 1993, Chapter 3, pp. 9-17. [cited by applicant]
Jiang et al., “Lengthening and shortening of plasma DNA in hepatocellular carcinoma patients,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Feb. 2, 2015, 112(11):E1317-E1325. [cited by applicant]
Luan et al., “A panel of seven protein tumour markers for effective and affordable multi-cancer early detection by artificial intelligence: a large-scale and multicentre case-control study,” Eclinical Medicine, Jul. 15,… [cited by applicant]
Shi et al., “Rare Germline Copy Number Variations and Disease Susceptibility in Familial Melanoma,” Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Dec. 31, 2016, 136(12):2436-2443. [cited by applicant]
Tu et al., “A panel of seven protein tumor markers for multi-cancer early detection by artificial intelligence, ” Journal of Clinical Oncology, May 31, 2023, 41(1):3067. [cited by applicant]
Wang et al., “Advances in the study of predictive markers of immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer based on PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors,” Modern Oncology, May 31, 2021, 29(10):1822-1825 (with English Abstract). [cited by applicant]
Zhu et al., “Recent Ex Vivo Gene Therapy through Genome Editing, ” Chinese Journal of Cell Biology, Apr. 2019, 41(4):573-582 (with English Abstract). [cited by applicant]