Advances in Cancer Biomarkers: From biochemistry to clinic for a critical revision (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Book 867)

At present there are a growing number of biomolecules under investigation to understand their potential role as cancer biomarker for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic purposes. Intriguingly, the state of art on cancer biomarkers research shows interesting and promising results together to clamorous failures. Also from a clinical point of view, there are contradictory results on routine clinical use of the present cancer biomarkers. Some patients may be simply monitored in their course by a periodic blood sample, but sometimes this monitoring shows dramatic limits. A lot of patients show serious and extensive relapses without significant change in serum concentrations of biomarkers tested. Often the physician who should utilize these biomarker does not entirely know their limits and the total potential applications as well and sometimes this knowledge is influenced by economical and marketing strategies. This limited and polluted knowledge may have dramatic consequences for patient. The aim of this book is to diffuse all aspects of cancer biomarkers, from their biochemical peculiarities to all clinical implications by passing through their physiology and pathophysiology. This critical approach towards old and new cancer biomarkers should foster a deepened and useful understanding of the diagnostic and prognostic index of these fundamental parameters of laboratory medicine and in the same time facilitating the research of new and more sensitive-specific signals of the cancer cell proliferation--Back cover. Cancer biomarkers discovery and validation: state of the art, problems and future perspectives -- Use of biomarkers in screening for cancer -- The role of metabolomics in the study of cancer biomarkers and in the development of diagnostic tools -- The role of epigenomics in the study of cancer biomarkers and in the development of diagnostic tools -- Efficient, adaptive clinical validation of predictive biomarkers in cancer therapeutic development -- Prostate specific antigen as a tumor marker in prostate cancer: biochemical and clinical aspects -- The actual role of LDH as tumor marker, biochemical and clinical aspects. Neuron-specific enolase as a biomarker: biochemical and clinical aspects -- Components of the plasminogen-plasmin system as biologic markers for cancer -- The role of human chorionic gonadotropin as tumor marker: biochemical and clinical aspects -- Biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): an update -- Mucins and cytokeratins as serum tumor markers in breast cancer -- The role of CA 125 as tumor marker: biochemical and clinical aspects -- CA 19-9: biochemical and clinical aspects -- Non coding RNA molecules as potential biomarkers in breast cancer -- Urinary prostate cancer antigen 3 as a tumour marker: biochemical and clinical aspects. Biomarker in cisplatin-based chemotherapy for urinary bladder cancer -- A critical approach to clinical biochemistry of chromogranin A -- The actual role of receptors as cancer markers, biochemical and clinical aspects: receptors in breast cancer -- The role of CTCs as tumor biomarkers. Roberto Scatena, editor. Includes bibliographical references and index. Front Matter....Pages i-ix Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Cancer Biomarkers: A Status Quo....Pages 3-8 Cancer Biomarkers Discovery and Validation: State of the Art, Problems and Future Perspectives....Pages 9-26 Use of Biomarkers in Screening for Cancer....Pages 27-39 The Role of Metabolomics in the Study of Cancer Biomarkers and in the Development of Diagnostic Tools....Pages 41-57 The Role of Epigenomics in the Study of Cancer Biomarkers and in the Development of Diagnostic Tools....Pages 59-80 Efficient, Adaptive Clinical Validation of Predictive Biomarkers in Cancer Therapeutic Development....Pages 81-90 Front Matter....Pages 91-91 Prostate Specific Antigen as a Tumor Marker in Prostate Cancer: Biochemical and Clinical Aspects....Pages 93-114 The Actual Role of LDH as Tumor Marker, Biochemical and Clinical Aspects....Pages 115-124 Neuron-Specific Enolase as a Biomarker: Biochemical and Clinical Aspects....Pages 125-143 Components of the Plasminogen-Plasmin System as Biologic Markers for Cancer....Pages 145-156 Front Matter....Pages 157-157 The Role of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin as Tumor Marker: Biochemical and Clinical Aspects....Pages 159-176 Front Matter....Pages 177-177 Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): An Update....Pages 179-193 Front Matter....Pages 195-195 Mucins and Cytokeratins as Serum Tumor Markers in Breast Cancer....Pages 197-225 Front Matter....Pages 227-227 The Role of CA 125 as Tumor Marker: Biochemical and Clinical Aspects....Pages 229-244 Front Matter....Pages 245-245 CA 19-9: Biochemical and Clinical Aspects....Pages 247-260 Front Matter....Pages 261-261 Non Coding RNA Molecules as Potential Biomarkers in Breast Cancer....Pages 263-275 Urinary Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 as a Tumour Marker: Biochemical and Clinical Aspects....Pages 277-289 Front Matter....Pages 291-291 Biomarker in Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy for Urinary Bladder Cancer....Pages 293-316 A Critical Approach to Clinical Biochemistry of Chromogranin A....Pages 317-323 Front Matter....Pages 325-325 The Actual Role of Receptors as Cancer Markers, Biochemical and Clinical Aspects: Receptors in Breast Cancer....Pages 327-337 Front Matter....Pages 339-339 The Role of CTCs as Tumor Biomarkers....Pages 341-367 Back Matter....Pages 369-372