Cancer biomarker discovery and translation: proteomics and beyond

Abstract

Cancer is often diagnosed at late stages when the chance of cure is relatively low and although research initiatives in oncology discover many potential cancer biomarkers, few transition to clinical applications. This review addresses the current landscape of cancer biomarker discovery and translation with a focus on proteomics and beyond. Areas covered: The review examines proteomic and genomic techniques for cancer biomarker detection and outlines advantages and challenges of integrating multiple omics approaches to achieve optimal sensitivity and address tumor heterogeneity. This discussion is based on a systematic literature review and direct participation in translational studies. Expert commentary: Identifying aggressive cancers early on requires improved sensitivity and implementation of biomarkers representative of tumor heterogeneity. During the last decade of genomic and proteomic research, significant advancements have been made in next generation sequencing and mass spectrometry techniques. This in turn has led to a dramatic increase in identification of potential genomic and proteomic cancer biomarkers. However, limited successes have been shown with translation of these discoveries into clinical practice. We believe that the integration of these omics approaches is the most promising molecular tool for comprehensive cancer evaluation, early detection and transition to Precision Medicine in oncology.

Keywords: Cancer biomarker; biomarker discovery; multi-omics; proteomics; translational research.

Figure 1.

Integration of genomic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data for comprehensive analysis of cell dynamics through multi-omics.

Figure 2.

Mass spectrometry techniques for proteomic analysis. (a) Schematic representation of stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC). (b). General summary of chemical labeling techniques used for mass spectrometry analysis (TMT, iTRAQ). (c). Overview of targeted mass spectrometry by SRM/MRM using a triple quadrupole instrument.