The present invention relates to a method for the diagnosis of cancer in a sample of cholesterol-rich lipoprotein nanoparticles obtained from a test subject comprising (α) determining the size distribution or the fractogram in chromatography of the cholesterol-rich lipoprotein nanoparticles in the sample of cholesterol-rich lipoprotein nanoparticles obtained from the test subject, and (β) comparing the size distribution or the fractogram of (α) to the corresponding size distribution or fractogram in one or more samples of cholesterol-rich lipoprotein nanoparticles obtained from one or more healthy subjects or a predetermined standard size distribution or fractogram obtained from a corresponding size distribution or fractogram in one or more samples of cholesterol-rich lipoprotein nanoparticles obtained from one or more healthy subjects, wherein a different size distribution or fractogram in the sample of the test subject as compared to the size distribution or the fractogram in the one or more samples of cholesterol-rich lipoprotein nanoparticles obtained from one or more healthy subjects or the predetermined standard size distribution or fractogram indicates that the test subject has cancer..