Method for diagnosing selected adenocarcinomas

Abstract

A method for the early diagnosing of selected adenocarcinomas in a human comprising the steps of removing a bodily sample from the human, and assaying the bodily sample for elevated expression of a specific gene. The gene being assayed for in the bodily sample is the TGFB-4 gene (hereinafter referred to as the endometrial bleeding associated factor (ebaf) gene. The bodily sample can be tissue from a specific organ in the body, or a blood sample. Increased levels of ebaf in the sample relative to basal levels may be indicative of a mucinous adenocarcinoma of the colon or ovaries, or an adenocarcinoma of the testis.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human comprising the steps of: 
 removing a bodily sample from the human; and    assaying the bodily sample for elevated expression of a specific gene.    
     
     
         2 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the specific gene is the ebaf gene.  
     
     
         3 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the bodily sample is blood.  
     
     
         4 . A method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human female not suffering from abnormal uterine bleeding, comprising the steps of: 
 removing a bodily sample from the human female after the completion human female's period; and    assaying the bodily sample for elevated expression of a specific gene.    
     
     
         5 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human female as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein, in the assaying step, the specific gene is the ebaf gene.  
     
     
         6 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human female as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the adenocarcinoma is a mucinous colon adenocarcinoma.  
     
     
         7 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human female as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the bodily sample is colon tissue.  
     
     
         8 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human female as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the adenocarcinoma is a mucinous ovarian adenocarcinoma.  
     
     
         9 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human female as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the bodily sample is colon tissue.  
     
     
         10 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma as set forth in claims  6  or  8 , wherein the bodily sample is blood.  
     
     
         11 . A method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human male comprising the steps of: 
 removing a bodily sample from the human male; and    assaying the bodily sample for elevated expression of a specific gene.    
     
     
         12 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human male as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein, in the assaying step the specific gene is the ebaf gene.  
     
     
         13 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human male as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the adenocarcinoma is a mucinous colon adenocarcinoma.  
     
     
         14 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human male as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the bodily sample is colon tissue.  
     
     
         15 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human male as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the adenocarcinoma is testicular adenocarcinoma.  
     
     
         16 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma in a human male as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the bodily sample is testis tissue.  
     
     
         17 . The method for diagnosing an adenocarcinoma as set forth in claims  13  or  15 , wherein the bodily sample is blood.