US Patent 7090978 Identification of neoplasms by detection of genetic insertions and deletions

The detection of insertions and/or deletions in reiterated nucleotide sequences in tissues provides an identification of neoplastic changes that are associated with malignancy. The mutations are preferably detected by PCR based amplification of target sequences using selected primers, followed by standard analytic procedures. The detection of these mutations is useful as a diagnostic tool for cancer development and has direct application for cancer prognosis.