DiagnoCure's molecular diagnostic tests - PCA3 and GCC - discussed at scientifi...( Ticker S...),Health

Ticker Symbol: CUR

QUEBEC CITY, June 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Two of DiagnoCure Inc. (TSX: CUR) products, the PCA3 marker for the detection of prostate cancer and GCC for the staging of colorectal cancer, were discussed at recent scientific meetings as part of the growing trend to molecular diagnostics.

Yesterday, on June 2nd, DiagnoCure opened the sessions at the 34th Annual International Clinical Ligand Assay Society Meeting, held in Coral Springs, Florida, with a presentation on its guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) testing research.

Timothy J. Holzer, Ph.D., Vice President, R&D and Production at DiagnoCure, presented research data on "Molecular Detection of Colorectal Cancer Lymph Node Micrometastasis". Dr. Holzer's presentation featured a statistical review and discussion of the beneficial role of GCC in the staging of colorectal cancer.

GCC is expressed only in intestinal mucosal cells, but not in extra-intestinal tissues. In addition, GCC is expressed in colorectal tumors, but not in other cancers outside the gastro-intestinal tract. Therefore, GCC may be useful clinically for the management of patients with colorectal cancer in providing more accurate information to physicians and patients and influencing treatment decisions.

In a review of a prototype colorectal cancer staging test in its Quebec facility utilizing nearly 1,500 lymph nodes, a DiagnoCure's study demonstrated that in patients previously staged as having no positive lymph nodes (Stage II), 30 percent had at least one lymph node with GCC expression at least as high as that found in lymph nodes called positive by a pathologist (Stage III). This would indicate that these patients should be considered for cancer management equal to that for a Stage III patient.

During the same event, the PCA3-based test was also featured in a presentation by Ina Deras, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist at Gen-Probe Inc., titled "PCA3 as a Biomarker f
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