Proteomic Approaches to Tumor Marker Discovery

Identification of Biomarkers for Ovarian Cancer. Current tumor markers for ovarian cancer still lack adequate sensitivity and specificity to be applicable in large populations. High-throughput proteomic profiling and bioinformatics tools allow for the rapid screening of a large number of potential biomarkers in serum, plasma, or other body fluids . Conclusions.—The combined use of bioinformatics tools and proteomic profiling provides an effective approach to screen for potential tumor markers. Comparison of plasma profiles from patients with and without known ovarian cancer uncovered a panel of potential biomarkers for detection of ovarian cancer with discriminatory power complementary to that of CA125 . Additional studies are required to further validate these biomarkers. Source: Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine: Vol. 126, No. 12, pp. 1518–1526.