Compositions, kits, and methods for identification, assessment, prevention, and therapy of cervical cancer

Abstract

The invention relates to nucleic acid molecules and proteins associated with cervical cancer including pre-malignant conditions such as dysplasia. Compositions, kits, and methods for detecting, characterizing, preventing, and treating human cervical cancers are also provided.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 404,770, filed on Aug. 20, 2002, which is expressly incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The field of the invention is cervical cancer, including diagnosis, characterization, management, and therapy of cervical cancer.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The increased number of cancer cases reported in the United States, and, indeed, around the world, is a major concern. Currently there are only a handful of treatments available for specific types of cancer, and these provide no absolute guarantee of success. In order to be most effective, these treatments require not only an early detection of the malignancy, but a reliable assessment of the severity of the malignancy.[0004]Cancer of the cervix is one of the most common malignancies in women and remains a significant public health problem throughout the world. In the United States alone, invasive cervic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0037]d) selecting one of the test compositions which significantly reduces the level of expression of the marker in the aliquot containing that test composition, relative to the levels of expression of the marker in the presence of the other test compositions.

[0045]d) administering to the patient at least one of the compositions which significantly lowers the level of expression of the marker in the aliquot containing that composition, relative to the levels of expression of the marker in the presence of the other compositions.

Problems solved by technology

Currently there are only a handful of treatments available for specific types of cancer, and these provide no absolute guarantee of success.

Cancer of the cervix is one of the most common malignancies in women and remains a significant public health problem throughout the world.

In many developing countries, where mass screening programs are not widely available, the clinical problem is more serious.

However, management of ambiguous or low-grade cytological results (ASCUS and LSIL) is very controversial.

This is mainly due to the nature of this morphology-based test, which inevitably leads to interobserver variability and some Pap test discordance with histological follow-up.

The low sensitivity and poor reproducibility have complicated the management of ASCUS and LSIL patients.

If an “accelerated repeat Pap test” is recommended for the follow-up of women with primary diagnosis of ASCUS or LSIL, patients will risk delay in diagnosis of potential high-grade lesions.

However, if these patients are universally referred to colposcopy, the vast majority of women will be over treated.

However, since the vast majority of HPV infections and the resulting squamous intraepithelial lesions regress spontaneously, especially in young women, HPV testing cannot specifically identify patients whose lesions will persist or progress to invasive carcinoma (Sasieni, P. D., 2000, J. Am. Med. Womens Assoc.

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