[A gene probe test for serum RNA proteolipid in neoplasia]

We describe for the first time the specific determination of a tumor associated nucleic acid found in 50 of 57 sera from cancer patients. The novel tumor marker "RNA-proteolipid" described by us contains an mRNA of about 10 kilobases. We have established a test to determine this RNA by hybridization. A cDNA was obtained by reversed transcription from RNA using serum from a patient with Hodgkin's lymphoma. The cDNA was then ligated into a M13 phage and cloned in Escherichia coli. The phage DNA was sulfonated chemically and hybridized to RNA from neoplastic sera which was immobilized on nylon. The bound DNA was detected by an immunoassay.