| abstract |
The invention provides amplification-based methods for detecting hypermethylated nucleic acid in heterogeneous biological samples, e.g., stool. A screening procedure based on the detection of hypermethylation, preferably at multiple genes, provides a means for detecting various diseases, e.g., colorectal cancer. By using chimeric primers that contain a 5′ non-specific portion, the specificity and efficiency of the nucleic acid amplification is improved. Methods of the invention are especially useful in detection of rare events in a heterogeneous sample. |