Cancer marker, method for evaluation of cancer by using the cancer marker, and evaluation reagent

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel cancer marker for evaluating the onset, the preclinical stage, the clinical stage, or the prognosis of a cancer in a subject, and an evaluation method using the same. A cancer marker containing at least one miRNA selected from hsa-miR-92 and hsa-miR-494 is used as a marker for cancers excluding breast cancer. A method for evaluating the possibility of cancers excluding breast cancer includes the step of detecting the expression level of a cancer marker in a biological sample collected from a subject. In this method, the cancer marker contains at least one miRNA selected from hsa-miR-92 and hsa-miR-494.

1 . A cancer marker applicable to a cancer other than breast cancer, comprising at least one miRNA selected from hsa-miR-92 and hsa-miR-494. 
     
     
         2 . The cancer marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the hsa-miR-92 is hsa-miR-92a. 
     
     
         3 . The cancer marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the miRNA is at least one of hsa-miR-92a and hsa-miR-494. 
     
     
         4 . The cancer marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the miRNA is miRNA contained in plasma or serum. 
     
     
         5 . The cancer marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the cancer is at least one cancer selected from the group consisting of colon cancer, gallbladder cancer, stomach cancer, lung cancer, leukemia, pancreas cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, uterine body cancer, cervical cancer, hepatocyte cancer, biliary tract cancer, brain tumor, laryngeal cancer, tongue cancer, rectal cancer, and osteosarcoma. 
     
     
         6 . The cancer marker according to  claim 1 , used for judging an onset, a preclinical stage, a clinical stage, or prognosis of the cancer. 
     
     
         7 . An evaluation method for evaluating a possibility of a cancer other than breast cancer, the evaluation method comprising the step of:
 detecting an expression level of a cancer marker in a biological sample,   wherein the cancer marker is the cancer marker according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         8 . The evaluation method according to  claim 7 , wherein the hsa-miR-92 is hsa-miR-92a. 
     
     
         9 . The evaluation method according to  claim 7 , wherein the miRNA is at least one of hsa-miR-92a and hsa-miR-494. 
     
     
         10 . The evaluation method according to  claim 7 , wherein the miRNA is miRNA contained in plasma or serum. 
     
     
         11 . The evaluation method according to  claim 7 , wherein the biological sample is a sample containing plasma or serum. 
     
     
         12 . The evaluation method according to  claim 7 , wherein the cancer is at least one cancer selected from the group consisting of colon cancer, gallbladder cancer, stomach cancer, lung cancer, leukemia, pancreas cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, uterine body cancer, cervical cancer, hepatocyte cancer, biliary tract cancer, brain tumor, laryngeal cancer, tongue cancer, rectal cancer, and osteosarcoma. 
     
     
         13 . The evaluation method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the step of:
 determining the possibility of the cancer based on the expression level of the cancer marker in the biological sample detected in the cancer marker-detecting step by at least one method selected from the group consisting of methods (1), (2), and (3):   
       (1) the expression level of the cancer marker in the biological sample of a subject is compared with an expression level of the cancer marker in a biological sample of a normal subject, and when the expression level in the subject is lower than the expression level in the normal subject, it is determined that the subject has a high possibility of the cancer; 
       (2) the expression level of the cancer marker in the biological sample of a subject is compared with an expression level of the cancer marker in a biological sample of a normal subject, and as the expression level in the subject becomes relatively lower than the expression level in the normal subject, it is determined that the cancer in the subject is relatively advanced; and 
       (3) the expression level of the cancer marker in the biological sample of a subject is compared with an expression level of the cancer marker in a biological sample of each of cancer patients at different progression stages, and it is determined that the cancer in the subject is in a same progression stage as the cancer in the patient exhibiting a same or similar expression level. 
     
     
         14 . The evaluation method according to  claim 7 , wherein the expression level of the cancer marker is represented as an amount of the cancer marker expressed in the biological sample. 
     
     
         15 . The evaluation method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the step of:
 detecting an expression level of a correction marker in the biological sample,   wherein the expression level of the cancer marker is represented as a ratio between an amount of the cancer marker expressed in the biological sample and an amount of the correction marker expressed in the biological sample.   
     
     
         16 . The evaluation method according to  claim 15 , wherein the correction marker is hsa-miR-638. 
     
     
         17 . An evaluation reagent for evaluating a possibility of a cancer other than breast cancer, the evaluation reagent comprising:
 a miRNA detection reagent for detecting at least one miRNA selected from hsa-miR-92 and hsa-miR-494,   wherein the evaluation reagent is used in the evaluation method according to  claim 7 .   
     
     
         18 . The evaluation reagent according to  claim 17 , wherein the hsa-miR-92 is hsa-miR-92a. 
     
     
         19 . The evaluation reagent according to  claim 17 , wherein the miRNA is at least one of hsa-miR-92a and hsa-miR-494. 
     
     
         20 . The evaluation reagent according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a correction marker detection reagent for detecting a correction marker.   
     
     
         21 . The evaluation reagent according to  claim 20 , wherein the correction marker is hsa-miR-638. 
     
     
         22 . A correction marker comprising:
 hsa-miR-638,   wherein the correction marker is used to correct an expression level of the cancer marker according to  claim 1  in a biological sample in the evaluation method according to  claim 15 .   
     
     
         23 . The correction marker according to  claim 22 , wherein the miRNA is miRNA contained in plasma or serum. 
     
     
         24 . A correction method for correcting an expression level of a cancer marker in a biological sample, the correction method comprising, in order to correct an expression level of the cancer marker according to  claim 1  in a biological sample in the evaluation method according to  claim 7 , the steps of:
 measuring an expression level of the cancer marker in a biological sample; 
 measuring an amount of a correction marker expressed in the biological sample; and 
 correcting the expression level of the cancer marker by setting a ratio between an amount of the cancer marker expressed and the amount of the correction marker expressed to a corrected expression level of the cancer marker in the biological sample. 
 
     
     
         25 . The correction method according to  claim 24 , wherein the correction marker is the correction marker according to  claim 22 . 
     
     
         26 . The correction method according to  claim 24 , wherein the biological sample is a sample containing plasma or serum. 
     
     
         27 . A correction reagent comprising:
 a miRNA detection reagent for detecting hsa-miR-638,   wherein the correction reagent is used to correct an expression level of the cancer marker according to  claim 1  in a biological sample in the evaluation method according to  claim 15 .