A Quest for New Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis and Prediction Biomarkers and Their Use in Biosensors Development

Abstract

Traditional techniques for cancer diagnosis, such as nuclear magnetic resonance, ultrasound and tissue analysis, require sophisticated devices and highly trained personnel, which are characterized by elevated operation costs. The use of biomarkers has emerged as an alternative for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and prediction because their measurement in tissues or fluids, such as blood, urine or saliva, is characterized by shorter processing times. However, the biomarkers used currently, and the techniques used for their measurement, including ELISA, western-blot, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or immunohistochemistry, possess low sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, the search for new proteomic, genomic or immunological biomarkers and the development of new noninvasive, easier and cheaper techniques that meet the sensitivity and specificity criteria for the diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of this disease has become a relevant topic. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview about the search for new cancer biomarkers, including the strategies that must be followed to identify them, as well as presenting the latest advances in the development of biosensors that possess a high potential for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and prediction, mainly focusing on their relevance in lung, prostate and breast cancers.

Deep learning neural network image analysis of immunohistochemical protein expression reveals a significantly reduced expression of biglycan in breast cancer

“…Breast cancers are heterogeneous in nature, both at the histological and molecular levels, and the molecular profiling of breast cancer guides diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the disease [ 2 ]. New breast cancer biomarkers have been sought in order to better characterize tumors and to select the best possible treatment [ 3 ]. Small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs), a diverse sub-group of proteoglycans, are involved in matrix organization and the regulation of cell growth and signaling [ 4 ].…”