COMPOSITIONS FOR DETECTING AND SURGICALLY REMOVING LYMPHOID TISSUE INVOLVED IN TUMOR PROGRESSION

摘要

Compositions are provided for detecting shed tumor antigen. The compositions include peptides having binding specificity for shed tumor antigen; and a detector molecule comprising a peptide, having binding specificity for shed tumor antigen, which is bound to a detectable label. The compositions may be used in a method to detect lymphoid tissues containing shed tumor antigen. Using a peptide-based detector molecule, detected in an individual having a pro-tumor immune response is the presence of lymphoid tissue which contains shed tumor antigen. Such lymphoid tissue detected as containing shed tumor antigen may then be surgically removed.