Abstract: The Applicant has discovered a cytokine profile that can accurately distinguish between ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) in a subject having, or having symptoms of, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The profile of ulcerative colitis is increased IL-10 levels (compared with a reference IL-10 level, and decreased IL-23 levels (compared with a reference IL-23 level). The cytokine profile can be detected at a protein or genomic level, and is generally determined from a peripheral blood sample (i.e. a blood fraction such as serum, plasma, or blood cells such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells). Distinguishing between UC and CD in a subject with IBD allows a clinician prescribe a suitable therapeutic regime for the subject using a non-invasive blood test, and avoiding the need for scoping or tissue biopsy, which are undesirable for the subject. The cytokine profile can also be used to monitor a therapeutic regime for effectiveness.

Abstract: A method of determining the risk that a subject that has been diagnosed with rectal cancer has stage III rectal cancer is described. The method includes determining the expression levels of a plurality of differentially expressed genes in a rectal cancer sample from the subject, comparing the expression levels of the plurality of genes with the corresponding controls, and characterizing the subject as having an increased risk of having stage III rectal cancer if the expression levels of the genes are increased or decreased compared to the corresponding control values. The inventor has determined which genes are expressed at higher or lower levels by a subject who has stage III rectal cancer. Microarrays and kits for staging subjects are also provided.