BONE MARROW-DERIVED HEMATOPOIETIC PROGENITOR CELLS AND ENDOTHELIAL PROGENITOR CELLS AS PROGNOSTIC INDICATORS FOR CANCER

摘要

Methods of determining cancer progression or cancer relapse in a subject at risk for cancer progression or cancer relapse, the methods comprising: obtaining a sample from said subject; measuring the level of VEGFR1+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) and/or VEGFR2+ endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in said sample; and taking additional samples and conducting additional measurements of HPCs and/or EPCs at one or more later time points. From the measurements, it can be determined whether there is a surge in the level of HPCs and/or EPCs in at least one later measurement, relative to an earlier measurement. A surge in the level of HPCs and/or EPCs indicates increased risk of progression or relapse of said subject's cancer.