| This report provides a comprehensive and | | | | utility. These areas include: diagnosis and staging |
| up-to-date review of current and recently | | | | (e.g. early detection); metastasis (e.g. to lymph |
| discovered breast cancer biomarkers. Today, | | | | nodes, bone); therapy directing (e.g. single and |
| biomarkers recommended to guide the diagnosis | | | | multiple drugs); response to therapy (e.g. |
| and treatment of breast cancer, are limited in | | | | favourable, resistance); prognosis (e.g. of relapse ); |
| number. In their most recent (2007) guidelines, the | | | | potential drug targets and diagnostic opportunities |
| American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) | | | | (e.g. novel proteins up-regulated in breast cancer |
| supported the case for just nine markers, based | | | | tissues or elevated in the circulation); biomarker |
| on studies carried out between 1999 – 2006. | | | | source (e.g. blood, tissue , urine); type (e.g. protein, |
| However, recent years have seen the discovery | | | | gene); and function (e.g. of gene or protein). |
| and clinical study of significant numbers of new | | | | Easy-to-Use |
| biomarkers and additional clinical data are now | | | | This report presents findings on more than 200 |
| available on earlier markers not yet in common | | | | proposed breast cancer biomarkers in a review |
| use. Collectively, these biomarkers are providing | | | | that includes studies over the last eight years, |
| valuable insights, diagnostically and therapeutically, | | | | through to May 2010. The report is presented in |
| in key areas of breast cancer. These include | | | | pdf format and provides the reader with an |
| diagnosis, metastasis and spread, therapy | | | | easy-to-read layout. Biomarkers are discussed and |
| direction, response to therapy, prognosis, | | | | presented by their potential utility in key breast |
| predisposition, drug discovery and clinical research. | | | | cancer areas, including diagnosis, metastasis, |
| This report presents the studies and a | | | | response to therapy, prognosis and disease |
| utility-based classification of more than 200 breast | | | | predisposition. Figures and tables from this report |
| cancer markers, reported in studies between Jan | | | | are also provided in pdf slide format. |
| 2003 and May 2010. Going forward, many of | | | | Opportunities |
| these will very likely find valuable application in the | | | | The study of biomarkers is one of the most |
| clinic, in diagnostics, therapeutics, clinical research | | | | promising and dynamic areas of cancer research |
| and drug discovery. This report also includes (at | | | | today, as scientists seek to extend their |
| no additional cost) a six-monthly update, allowing | | | | understanding of the disease at the biological level. |
| readers to stay current with new findings over | | | | These advances are giving rise to more |
| the coming year. | | | | discriminating diagnostic tools and therapies, as well |
| Overview | | | | as a providing a deeper understanding of genetic |
| Over the last decade, research has generated a | | | | and phenotypic differences at the patient level, as |
| wealth of biological data that characterise the | | | | medicine moves ever closer to more personalised |
| changes that occur in breast cancer. These | | | | therapies. While these developments create |
| findings have advanced the understanding of this | | | | important opportunities, this rapidly evolving field is |
| disease, and allowed the development of more | | | | also seeing uncertainty as interest shifts from |
| discriminating diagnostic methods and treatments. | | | | past findings, to more promising recent advances. |
| Cancer embraces multiple changes at the genetic, | | | | This report provides a comprehensive review on |
| phenotypic, cellular and histological level and | | | | current opportunities in this field. In addition, |
| nowhere are these changes more evident than in | | | | through a six-monthly is provided (at no additional |
| the field of cancer biomarkers, which now | | | | cost) with this report, helping readers to remain |
| embraces many thousands of studies: cells, | | | | current with new advances and opportunities. |
| animals and human. This report presents an | | | | informed of future opportunities. |
| up-to-date review of breast cancer biomarkers, | | | | Six-Monthly Update |
| with particular focus on the research of candidate | | | | The increasing availability of advanced genomic |
| molecules in controlled clinical studies. | | | | and proteomic tools is accelerating research in the |
| Biomarkers | | | | cancer biomarker field, leading to the rapid growth |
| Biomarkers identified in this report include: | | | | of new findings. To keep pace with these |
| proteins, peptides, metabolites, genes and | | | | developments, this report includes a six-monthly |
| mutations, epigenetic species and other molecules. | | | | update, identifying the most promising advances |
| In particular, the report identifies molecules that | | | | and opportunities. This update will automatically be |
| offer minimally invasive techniques. As part of this | | | | sent to purchasers of this report, at no additional |
| report, biomarkers are classified by their potential | | | | cost. |