Blood-Based Protein Signatures Could Enable Early Cancer Detection
Moving from single biomarkers to multiplex protein signatures using affinity proteomics offers significantly improved diagnostic accuracy for early cancer detection from blood samples. This opinion piece argues that serum contains massive untapped diagnostic information and that precision diagnostics must embrace multi-marker panels to generate actionable clinical data. The approach could transform cancer management if validated in large prospective studies.
The original study
Precision diagnostics: moving towards protein biomarker signatures of clinical utility in cancer.
- Authors
- Borrebaeck CA
- Journal
- Nature reviews. Cancer
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 28154374
Original abstract
Interest in precision diagnostics has been fuelled by the concept that early detection of cancer would benefit patients; that is, if detected early, more tumours should be resectable and treatment more efficacious. Serum contains massive amounts of potentially diagnostic information, and affinity proteomics has risen as an accurate approach to decipher this, to generate actionable information that should result in more precise and evidence-based options to manage cancer. To achieve this, we need to move from single to multiplex biomarkers, a so-called signature, that can provide significantly increased diagnostic accuracy. This Opinion article focuses on the progress being made in identifying protein biomarker signatures of clinical utility, using blood-based proteomics.