Proteomic Approaches in Biomarker Discovery: New Perspectives in Cancer Diagnostics

Table 1

Selection of commonly used blood molecular and protein biomarkers for the management (diagnosis, monitoring recurrence/detecting metastatic spread, and selection of suitable treatment/monitoring treatment response) of cancers in clinical practice.

Type of cancer	Tumour biomarkers	Type of test	Additional biomarkers	Type of test
Lung cancer	NSE, TPA, and CEA (large-cell carcinoma, small-cell carcinoma); CEA, TPA (adenocarcinoma); SCC, TPA (squamous cell carcinoma)	Immunoassay, ELISA, RIA, and magnetic-bead based chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay	Ferritin	Immunoassay, ELISA, and RIA
			CEA
Breast cancer, sporadic	CA 15-3, CA 27-29, MCA, and CEA	Immunoassay, ELISA	TPA, B2M, Ki-67 (MIB-1), CA 19-9, ER, PR, and cytochrome P450 2D6 genotype	Immunoassay, PCR-based assay for cytochrome P450
	HER2*	Immunoassay, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
Breast cancer, hereditary	BRCA1, BRCA2	DNA sequence analysis, RT-PCR, and post-PCR curve melting analysis	The same as for sporadic breast cancer for monitoring	Immunoassay
Prostate cancer	PSA, PAP	Immunoassay, ELISA	CEA, TPA	Immunoassay
Gastric cancer, sporadic	CA 19-9, CA 125, and CEA; HER2*	Immunoassay, ELISA	TPA, ferritin, and gastrin	Immunoassay
		Immunoassay, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
Colorectal cancer, hereditary	MSI testing (BAT25, BAT26, NR-21, NR-24, and MONO-27), APC, AXIN2, BMPR1A, CDH1, CHEK2, MLH1, MLH3, MSH2, MSH6, MYH/MutYH), TP53, PTEN, PMS2, SCG5/GREM1, SMAD4, and STK11	PCR-based test, IHC, DNA sequence analysis, long-range PCR, RT-PCR and post-PCR curve melting analysis, multiplex ligation probe amplification (MLPA), and array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH)	The same as for sporadic colon cancer for monitoring	Immunoassay
	BRAF, MLH1 promoter methylation	PCR-based test
Gastric cancer, sporadic	CA 19–9, CA 125, and CEA; HER2*	Immunoassay, ELISA	TPA, ferritin, and gastrin	Immunoassay
		Immunoassay, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
Gastric cancer, hereditary	CHD1	DNA sequence analysis, RT-PCR, and post-PCR curve melting analysis	The same as for sporadic gastric cancer for monitoring
Oral cancer	SCC, CEA	Immunoassay	CA 19-9	Immunoassay
Glioma	MGMT promoter methylation	Methylation specific PCR	—	—
	IDH1, IDH2	DNA sequence analysis, RT-PCR, and post-PCR curve melting analysis	—	—

∗FISH using labeled DNA probes to the pericentromeric region of chromosome 17 and to the HER2 locus is superior to Southern, Northern, and Western blots and immunohistochemical analyses. Usually performed on tissue, however, blood tests can be ordered. (Note: individual laboratories may use different or other biomarkers and tests.)