Abstract: The invention generally relates to methods for assuring amplification of an abnormal nucleic acid that is present as a percentage of total nucleic acid in a sample. In certain embodiments, methods of the invention involve providing a sample from a subject, in which the sample includes a total of nucleic acids, in which a percentage of the total are abnormal nucleic acids, extracting the total of nucleic acids from the sample, quantitatively analyzing the extracted nucleic acids, thereby determining an amount of amplifiable nucleic acids in the sample, and providing an amount of the nucleic acids for an amplification reaction that assures amplification of the abnormal nucleic acids in the sample, in which the provided amount is based on results from the quantitatively analyzing step.
Abstract: The present invention generally relates to antibodies and use of these antibodies in diagnostic assays for various disease states, including cancer. In certain embodiments, the invention provides an isolated human or humanized antibody or functional fragment thereof including an antigen-binding region that is specific for an epitope on a protein, in which the epitope is specific to a tissue or body fluid and the epitope is indicative of a disease.
Abstract: The present invention generally relates to serial analysis of biomarkers for disease diagnosis. In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods for diagnosing a disease including obtaining a sample from a subject, conducting a first assay to determine whether a first biomarker in the sample is positive or negative for a disease, and conducting a second assay to determine whether a second biomarker in the sample is positive or negative for the disease if the first assay produced a negative result.