Biomarkers of gene expression: growth factors and oncoproteins.

Abstract

This article reviews the literature on the application of methods for the detection of growth factors, oncogene proteins, and tumor-suppressor gene proteins in the blood of humans with cancer or who are at risk for the development of cancer. The research summarized here suggests that many of these biomarker assays can be used to distinguish between diseased and nondiseased states and in some instances may be able to predict susceptibility for future disease. Thus, these biomarkers could be valuable tools for monitoring at-risk populations for purposes of disease prevention and control. -Environ Health Perspect 105(Suppl 4): 807-816 (1997)

Study of pretreatment serum levels of HER‐2/neu oncoprotein as a prognostic and predictive factor in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung carcinoma

“…24 In some patients, elevated protein serum levels also were detectable prior to the time of clinical diagnosis. 25 High HER-2/neu oncoprotein circulating levels have been correlated with tissue overexpression 26,27 and have been associated with a poor survival outcome in patients with breast carcinoma. 28 -30 A study that considered a heterogeneous group of lung adenocarcinomas also found a good correlation between HER-2/neu expression in tissue and serum levels.…”

Biomarkers as biological indicators of xenobiotic exposure

“…Although these biomarkers are affected not only by toxic compounds, it is very important to establish potential confounding factors and to assess the sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of these tests. Table 6 shows the biomarkers of gene expression, which include: 63,68,69 (i) Growth factors.…”

12th meeting of the Scientific Group on Methodologies for the Safety Evaluation of Chemicals: susceptibility to environmental hazards.

“…Tumor-associated antigens like PSA may be useful monitoring the course of disease once identified and treated, but the relationship to the pathophysiology of the disease process remains unclear and thus its utility in predicting future occurrence of disease that will be clinically significant in an individual is unproven. Other proteins that represent expression of genes in the presumed causal pathway for disease, such as growth factors and oncoproteins, can also be analyzed with antibody-based techniques in extracellular fluids, as described in depth by Brandt-Rauf (129). Unfortunately, these tests are not as well developed as the others mentioned.…”