ASSAYS FOR CANCER PATIENT MONITORING BASED ON LEVELS OF ANALYTE COMPONENTS OF THE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR SYSTEM IN BODY FLUID SAMPLES

摘要

The present invention describes methods of examining, screening over time, and monitoring the outcome of a cancer patient who is undergoing treatment or therapy. More specifically, the invention provides a method of monitoring the progression of disease, or the effectiveness of cancer treatment, in a cancer patient by measuring the levels of one or more analytes of the plasminogen activator (uPA) system, namely, uPA, PAI-1 and the complex of uPA:PAI-1, in a sample taken from the cancer patient, preferably, before treatment, at the start of treatment, and at various time intervals during treatment. An increase or elevation in the levels of one or more of the PA system analytes in the cancer patient compared with the levels one or more of the respective PA system analytes in normal control individuals serves as an indicator of cancer advancement or progression.