The present disclosure provides methods for the diagnosis of metastatic
prostate cancer and/or the prediction of the metastatic ability of
prostate cancer in prostate biopsy tissue. Metastatic ability of prostate
cancer is positively correlated with the level of transcriptional and
translational expression of the MUC18 coding sequence in the neoplastic
tissue. Methods for the determination of MUC18 protein synthesis include
Western blots, ELISA, radioimmunoassay, immunofluorescence, and other
immunoassays using MUC18-specific antibody and suitable detection means.
Methods for measurement of transcriptional expression of the MUC18 coding
sequence include Northern hybridizations and quantitative reverse
transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analyses. Absence of or very low
MUC18 expression in the prostate tumor tissue is associated with
nonmetastatic cancer, while relatively high levels of MUC18 expression are
predictive of prostate cancer which is likely to metastasize or which has
already metastasized. The present disclosure provides an improved
diagnostic tool to aid the medical community in the choice of appropriate
treatment regimens for prostate cancer patients.
