The invention provides gastroenterological cancer determination methods that involve contacting a specimen, an antibody 1 that recognizes an α chain of human haptoglobin, and an antibody 2 that recognizes a β chain of human haptoglobin and does not recognize human haptoglobin in which an S—S bond is cleaved to form a complex 1, or contacting the specimen and two antibodies selected from the antibodies 2 that recognize a β chain of human haptoglobin and do not recognize human haptoglobin in which an S—S bond is cleaved to form a complex 2. A determination is made based on the measurement of complex 1 or 2. Alternatively, the specimen and two antibodies selected from the antibodies 1 that recognize an α chain of human haptoglobin are contacted to form a complex 3, and a determination is made by comparing the measurement results of complex 1 or 2 with complex 3.

The present invention relates to the field of diagnostics and, more in particular, to MRI activatable contrast agents and compositions thereof for the detection of nuclease activity, wherein said nuclease activity is caused by microbial infection or by nuclease activity related to cancer, particularly colon cancer or pancreatic cancer. Activatable contrast agents for MRI have been developed, wherein the oligonucleotide is flanked by a paramagnetic and a superparamagnetic agent, and thus providing magnetic quenching. Moreover, the oligonucleotide has regions that confer resistance to mammalian endonucleases and sensitivity to microbial endonucleases. When the activatable contrast agent of the invention is in the presence of microbial nuclease activity or a tumour cell nuclease activity, the oligonucleotide is cleaved, agents are unquenched, and the signal derived from the activated contrast agent is detected by MRI.

This invention relates methods and compositions for identifying Colorectal Cancer (CRC) prognostic transcripts and groups of CRC prognostic transcripts useful in determining the prognosis of cancer in a patient, particularly for gastrointestinal cancer, such as gastric or colorectal cancer. Specifically, this invention relates to CRC cell culture-based methods to identify cell proliferation signatures.

A column-based device and method for retrieving cells of interest were enclosed. The said device comprises a column comprising (i) an inner wall defining an inner chamber with inlet and outlet openings, (ii) a perforated plug disposed adjacent to the outlet opening, (iii) a sleeve insert with a channel and disposed within the chamber and adjacent to the perforated plug, and (iv) a filtering means housed within sleeve insert sandwiched between two sealing means. In particular, Tumor-derived endothelial cell clusters (TECCs) as characterized multiple nuclei, expression of endothelial markers (PECAM1, VWF and CDH5), and non-expression of leukocyte, megakaryocyte and platelets markers, may be retrieved using the disclosed device. Also encompassed are methods, reagents and kits for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancers by detecting for the presence of TECCs isolated from blood samples using the claimed device.

In accordance with some embodiments herein, methods of determining signatures of HMGB1 isoforms in a subject are provided. In some embodiments, antibodies that bind specifically to HMGB1 isoforms are provided. In some embodiments, immunoassay kits are provided.

The inventors assessed in locally advanced rectal cancer whether a diagnostic biopsy-adapted Immunoscore (ISg) could predict response to neoadjuvant treatment (nT) and better define patients eligible to an organ preservation strategy (“Watch-and-Wait”). The inventors showed that IS.sub.B was an independent parameter, more informative than pre- (P<0.001) and post-nT (P<0.05) imaging to predict disease-free survival. IS.sub.B combined with imaging post-nT discriminated very good responders that could benefit from organ preservation strategy. Accordingly, the present invention relates to methods for predicting the recurrence and/or death of patients suffering from a solid cancer after preoperative adjuvant therapies.

A column-based device and method for retrieving cells of interest were enclosed. The said device comprises a column comprising (i) an inner wall defining an inner chamber with inlet and outlet openings, (ii) a perforated plug disposed adjacent to the outlet opening, (iii) a sleeve insert with a channel and disposed within the chamber and adjacent to the perforated plug, and (iv) a filtering means housed within sleeve insert sandwiched between two sealing means. In particular, Tumor-derived endothelial cell clusters (TECCs) as characterized multiple nuclei, expression of endothelial markers (PECAM1, VWF and CDH5), and non-expression of leukocyte, megakaryocyte and platelets markers, may be retrieved using the disclosed device. Also encompassed are methods, reagents and kits for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancers by detecting for the presence of TECCs isolated from blood samples using the claimed device.

The present invention relates to a biomarker composition for predicting the prognosis of a cancer patient, the biomarker composition including a first molecular subtype or a protein transcribed and translated from the first molecular subtype. The present invention also relates to a biomarker composition for predicting the prognosis of a cancer patient, the biomarker composition further including a second molecular subtype or a protein transcribed and translated from the second molecular subtype.

A stool resuspension solution comprising a hemoglobin stabilization reagent is provided. In some embodiments, the hemoglobin stabilization reagent may be an osmolyte, a polyvalent cation, a sugar or polysaccharide and, optionally, a polyvalent cation, a protoporphyrin, or an HRP stabilization component and, optionally, a polyvalent cation. A method of stabilizing hemoglobin in a stool sample in the solution is also provided, as well as a sample collection device containing the solution.

The present invention provides an in vitro method for the prognosis of disease progression in a patient that suffers from or is at risk of developing a solid tumor, said method comprising determining, in one or more samples from said patient, at least one of intratumoral infiltration by macrophages, and/or proximity of lymphocytes to tumor cells, and/or proximity of macrophages to tumor cells, and/or presence or absence of one or more nearby tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), and an anti-angiogenic drug, optionally combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, for use in the treatment of such patient.