Method of detecting malignant neoplasms

Claim 2

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms employing as a tracer a radioactively labelled lipid selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fat precursors, simple fats, phospholipids, steroids and sterols, the label being a stable or unstable isotope selected from the group consisting of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and phosphorus wherein the metabolism of said lipid by subjects having malignant neoplasms is different than in subjects not having such neoplasms comprising: a. administering to a subject under controlled conditions a predetermined amount of a radioactively labelled lipid tracer, capable of being metabolized by the subject; b. waiting a sufficient time to allow for the metabolism of the labelled lipid tracer; and c. determining by radioactive measurements the amount of radioactive catabolites in the excretion products.

Claim 3

The diagnostic test method of claim 1 wherein the excretion products are selected from the group consisting of urinary and respiratory excretion products.

Claim 4

The diagnostic test method of claim 2 wherein the excretion products are urinary excretion products.

Claim 5

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms comprising: a. administering to a subject, under controlled conditions, an analytically significant amount of a labelled lipid tracer selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fat precursors, simple fats, phospholipids, steroids and sterols, wherein the labelled tracer atom is selected from the group consisting of phosphorous-32, carbon-13, carbon-14, oxygen-18, deuterium, tritium; and b. waiting a sufficient time after administration to allow for the metabolism of the labelled tracer; and c. analyzing the excretion products of the subject for labelled compounds.

Claim 6

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms comprising: a. administering to a subject, under controlled conditions, an analytically significant amount of a labelled lipid tracer selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fat precursors, simple fats, phospholipids, steroids and sterols, wherein the labelled tracer atom is selected from the group consisting of phosphorous-32, carbon-13, carbon-14, oxygen-18, deuterium, tritium; and b. waiting a sufficient time after administration to allow for the metabolism of the labelled tracer; and c. analyzing the excretion products of the subject for labelled compounds.

Claim 7

The diagnostic test method of claim 4 wherein the lipid tracer is selected from the group consisting of fat precursors, fatty acids and simple fats.

Claim 8

The diagnostic test method of claim 5 wherein the simple fats are selected from the group of mono-, di- or triglycerides of naturally occurring fatty acids.

Claim 9

The diagnostic test method of claim 6 wherein the simple fat is selected from the group consisting of mono-, di-, and triglycerides of oleic, stearic and palmitic acids.

Claim 10

The diagnostic test method of claim 5 wherein the fat precursor is acetate.

Claim 11

The diagnostic test method of claim 5 wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of saturated and unsaturated acids having a carbon chain length of from two to about 22.

Claim 12

The diagnostic test method of claim 9 wherein the fatty acid is a naturally occurring fatty acid.

Claim 13

The diagnostic test method of claim 10 wherein the naturally occurring fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of oleic, stearic, palmitic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acids.

Claim 14

The diagnostic test method of claim 5 wherein the waiting period after administration is at least 1/2 hour.

Claim 15

A diagnostic test method of claim 5 wherein the labelled tracer atom is selected from the group consisting of carbon-13 and carbon-14.

Claim 16

The diagnostic test method of claim 4 wherein the administration of the labelled lipid tracer is intravenous or intramuscular.

Claim 17

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms comprising: a. orally administering to a fasting subject, under controlled conditions, from about 3 to about 80 microcuries per subject of a carbon-14 labelled tripalmitin tracer; b. continuing said fasting by the subject for from about two to about six hours; c. waiting for an additional period of time such that the total period from the time of administration is from about 14 to about 18 hours to allow for the metabolism of the tripalmitin tracer; and d. analyzing the respiratory excretion products of the subject by slowly bubbling a quantitative amount of exhaled breath through an ethanol/methylcellosolve solution of known concentration until fully saturated with carbon dioxide, adding an appropriate amount of a scintillation solution, and recording the amount of carbon-14 labelled product in a liquid scintillation counter.

Claim 18

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms comprising: a. orally administering to a fasting subject, under controlled conditions, from about 3 to about 80 microcuries per subject of a carbon-14 labelled tripalmitin tracer; b. continuing said fasting by the subject for from about two to about six hours; c. waiting for an additional period of time such that the total period from the time of administration is from about 14 to about 18 hours to allow for the metabolism of the tripalmitin tracer; and d. analyzing the respiratory excretion products of the subject by slowly bubbling a quantitative amount of exhaled breath through an ethanol/methylcellosolve solution of known concentration until fully saturated with carbon dioxide, adding an appropriate amount of a scintillation solution, and recording the amount of carbon-14 labelled product in a liquid scintillation counter.

Claim 19

The diagnostic test method of claim 15 wherein the scintillation solution comprises toluene/methylcellosolve/2,5-diphenyloxazole.

Claim 20

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms employing a radioactively labelled lipid wherein the metabolism of said lipid by subjects having malignant neoplasms is different than in subjects not having such neoplasms comprising: a. administering to a subject under controlled conditions, a predetermined amount of a radioactively labelled lipid tracer, capable of being metabolized by the subject; b. waiting a sufficient time to allow for the metabolism of the labelled lipid tracer; and c. determining by scintillation detection the amount of radioactive catabolites in the respiratory excretion products.

Claim 21

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms employing a radioactively labelled lipid wherein the metabolism of said lipid by subjects having malignant neoplasms is different than in subjects not having such neoplasms comprising: a. administering to a subject under controlled conditions, a predetermined amount of a radioactively labelled lipid tracer, capable of being metabolized by the subject; b. waiting a sufficient time to allow for the metabolism of the labelled lipid tracer; and c. determining by scintillation detection the amount of radioactive catabolites in the respiratory excretion products.

Claim 22

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms comprising: a. administering to a subject, under controlled conditions, an analytically significant amount of a labelled lipid tracer selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fat precursors, simple fats, wherein the labelled tracer atom is selected from the group consisting of phosphorous-32, carbon-13, carbon-14, oxygen-18, deuterium, tritium; and b. waiting a sufficient time after administration to allow for the metabolism of the labelled tracer; and c. analyzing the respiratory excretion products of the subject for labelled compounds by scintillation detection.

Claim 23

A diagnostic test method for detecting malignant neoplasms comprising: a. administering to a subject, under controlled conditions, an analytically significant amount of a labelled lipid tracer selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fat precursors, simple fats, wherein the labelled tracer atom is selected from the group consisting of phosphorous-32, carbon-13, carbon-14, oxygen-18, deuterium, tritium; and b. waiting a sufficient time after administration to allow for the metabolism of the labelled tracer; and c. analyzing the respiratory excretion products of the subject for labelled compounds by scintillation detection.