Serum biomarkers identification by mass spectrometry in high-mortality tumors

Alessandra Tessitore, Agata Gaggiano, Germana Cicciarelli, Daniela Verzella, Daria Capece, Mariafausta Fischietti, Francesca Zazzeroni, Edoardo Alesse*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cancer affects millions of people worldwide. Tumor mortality is substantially due to diagnosis at stages that are too late for therapies to be effective. Advances in screening methods have improved the early diagnosis, prognosis, and survival for some cancers. Several validated biomarkers are currently used to diagnose and monitor the progression of cancer, but none of them shows adequate specificity, sensitivity, and predictive value for population screening. So, there is an urgent need to isolate novel sensitive, specific biomarkers to detect the disease early and improve prognosis, especially in high-mortality tumors. Proteomic techniques are powerful tools to help in diagnosis and monitoring of treatment and progression of the disease. During the last decade, mass spectrometry has assumed a key role in most of the proteomic analyses that are focused on identifying cancer biomarkers in human serum, making it possible to identify and characterize at the molecular level many proteins or peptides differentially expressed. In this paper we summarize the results of mass spectrometry serum profiling and biomarker identification in high mortality tumors, such as ovarian, liver, lung, and pancreatic cancer.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number125858
JournalInternational Journal of Proteomics
Volume2013
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

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