Inventors:
Charles F. Streckfus - Brandon MS
Lenora G. Bigler - Clinton MS
James Tate Thigpen - Jackson MS
Assignee:
University of Mississippi Medical Center - Jackson MS
International Classification:
G01N 33574
US Classification:
435 723, 435 4, 435 71, 435 72, 435 721, 435 792, 435 793, 435 794, 435 795, 436501, 436 63, 436 64
Abstract:
A panel of biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer was examined in the saliva of a cohort of 1) healthy women, 2) women with benign lesions of the breast and 3) women with diagnosed breast cancer. Recognized tumor markers c-erbB-2 (erb), cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), and tumor suppresser oncogene protein 53 (p53) were found in the saliva of all three groups of women. The levels of erb and CA 15-3 in the cancer patients evaluated, however, were significantly higher than the salivary levels of healthy controls and benign tumor patients. Conversely, pantropic p53 levels were higher in controls as compared to those women with breast cancer and those with benign tumors.