Methods for diagnosing or treating prostate cancer

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for detecting and/or diagnosing cancer through the determination of the expression level of the STC2 gene. The gene was discovered to discriminate cancer cells from normal cells. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods of screening for therapeutic agents useful in the treatment of cancer, methods for treating cancer. Moreover, the present invention provides double-stranded molecules targeting the STC2 gene, which are suggested to be useful in the treatment of cancer. The compositions and methods of the present invention find particular applicability to prostate cancer, more specifically, castration-resistant prostate cancer and aggressive prostate cancer.

1 . A method for diagnosing prostate cancer or determining a predisposition for developing prostate cancer in a subject, comprising the steps of:
 (a) determining the expression level of the stanniocalcin 2 (STC2) gene in a subject-derived biological sample wherein said expression level is determined by detecting a transcription product of the STC2 gene;   (b) comparing the subject-derived expression level determined in step (a) with a normal or cancerous control level; and   (c) correlating an increase of said subject-derived expression level as compared to the normal control level to a diagnosis of prostate cancer or a predisposition for developing prostate cancer, or correlating a similarity between said subject-derived expression level and the cancerous control level to a diagnosis of prostate cancer or a predisposition for developing prostate cancer.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said subject-derived biological sample comprises prostate tissue, blood, or serum. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said prostate cancer is castration-resistant prostate cancer or aggressive prostate cancer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said aggressive prostate cancer is prostate cancer with Gleason score 8 to 10. 
     
     
         6 .- 26 . (canceled)