Biomarkers- Burgeoning Tools in Early Cancer Detection

Abstract

A biological marker (biomarker) is characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biologic processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention. Can- cer a devastating malady is still being missed at its earliest stages because of detection methods that are not tar- geted at elusive cellular physiological changes that occur during neoplasmic development. With extensive studies of proteomics, genomics and transcriptomics its being possible to comprehensively track the complex pathophysi- ology involved in neoplasmic dynamics. A proteomic or genomic array of many individual proteins can be used in differentiating the diseased from a healthy individual. In this review we summarize the current literature on bio- markers with emphasis on protein biomarkers.