This invention is a new diagnostic tool which allows prediction of cancer risk based on a single nucleotide polymorphism of a gene whose protein is over-expressed in various cancers. The polymorphism results in a single amino acid change. DNA analysis demonstrated that 98% of cancer patients tested had the mutation while normal donors did not. The extreme high frequency of the mutation suggests that it can be used to custom tailor the frequency of screening tests such as mammograms depending on whether or not an individual carries the mutation. Analysis of this mutation may also provide information to clinicians in evaluating the risk of tumor transition from benign to malignant,potentially affecting the decision to perform surgical procedures. Detection of the mutation can be carried out using routine clinical laboratory methods.
Commercial Application
· Diagnostic tool for prediction of cancer risk based on galectin-3 SNP, rs4644
· Galectin-3 polymorphism has never been used as a risk factor for cancer susceptibility
· The polymorphism can be diagnosed by a simple non-invasive procedure
Patent Status
Patent pending
Tech ID
07-866