Improving assay methods

To identify unique blood markers in cancer patients so that we can identify patients with evidence of pre-existing immunity who may be a responder to immunotherapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients diagnosed with cancerous tumors based on biopsy or other clinical observations.
2. Patients diagnosed with non-cancerous tumors based on biopsy or other clinical observations.
3. Normal volunteers who do not have cancer or other medical conditions that may affect survival.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients will be excluded if, upon clinical observation, they are under a severe septic or inflammatory condition. In these conditions, human body immune response against sepsis or inflammation should be the predominant response, and may shield or block the immune response against tumors.
2. Patients will be excluded if, upon clinical observation, they are under extremely illness situation like myocardial infarction. In such a case, the immune findings may be altered.
3. Patients will be excluded if, upon looking through their medical records, significant information required for data analysis is missing. This is because that patients' medical records will help us connect our research findings with their clinical observations, and further provide guidelines for subsequent treatment options.

Tumors occur predominantly in the adult population after age 30, regardless of gender and ethnic background. Therefore, our study population will consist mainly of adult subjects. We do not have any exclusion criteria based on age range, gender or ethnic background.