TUMOR DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS

Abstract

It has been found that the level of protein tyrosine phosphatase 'alpha' (PTP'alpha') expression is increased in significant numbers of tumors and that PTP'alpha' can be used as a marker for the diagnosis or prognosis of cancers. Accordingly, the invention provides a method for diagnosis or prognosis of a cancer, which method comprises detection of PTP'alpha' or PTP'alpha' nucleic acid. In general, the level of PTP'alpha' or PTP'alpha' nucleic acid in a first biological sample derived from tissue suspected of being neoplastic or potentially neoplastic is compared with the level in a second biological sample derived from normal tissue.