Method of diagnosing and treating cancer using B-catenin splice variants
The invention relates to method of diagnosing and treating cancer, in particular β-catenin related cancers. The invention further relates to methods of identifying CTNNB1 related cancer CTNNB1 therapeutics.
1. A method of detecting the presence or absence of a β-catenin gene (CTNNB1) related esophageal cancer in a subject, comprising:
(a) obtaining a subject sample;
(b) determining the proportion of 16A transcript to 16B transcript in a cell or cells from the subject sample;
(c) comparing the proportion of 16A transcript to 16B transcript to a standard proportion,
(d) identifying a decrease in a 16A transcript level relative to a 16B transcript level in the subject sample; and
(e) identifying the subject as having a CTNNB1 related esophageal cancer; or performing said steps (a) to (c) and
(f) not identifying a decrease in a 16A transcript level relative to a 16B transcript level in the subject sample; and
(g) identifying the subject as not having a CTNNB1 related esophageal cancer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is anywhere along the progression from normal to neoplastic.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the esophageal cancer in the subject is an esophageal preneoplastic squamous epithelium, an esophageal squamous dysplasia, an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in-situ, an invasive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, or any histological or cytological stage in-between.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the β-catenin gene (CTNNB1) related esophageal cancer is one or more of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), esophageal adenocarcinoma, esophageal dysplasia, and esophageal metaplasia.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proportions are determined by PCR methods.
6. A method of diagnosing if a subject may have a β-catenin gene (CTNNB1) related esophageal cancer, comprising:
(a) determining the proportion of 16A transcript to 16B transcript in a cell or cells obtained from the subject;
(b) comparing the proportion of 16A transcript to 16B transcript to a standard proportion;
(c) identifying a decrease in a 16A transcript level relative to a 16B transcript level in the cell or cells;
(d) identifying the cancer as a CTNNB1 related cancer; or performing said steps (a) to (b) and
(e) not identifying a decrease in a 16A transcript level relative to a 16B transcript level in the cell or cells;
(f) identifying the cancer as not likely a CTNNB1 related cancer.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the esophageal cancer is one or more of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), esophageal adenocarcinoma, esophageal dysplasia, and esophageal metaplasia.