Proteomics in cancer research: Are we ready for clinical practice?
Although genomics has delivered major advances in cancer prognostics, treatment and diagnostics, it still only provides a static image of the situation. To study more dynamic molecular entities, proteomics has been introduced into the cancer research field more than a decade ago. Currently, however, the impact of clinical proteomics on patient management and clinical decision-making is low and the implementations of scientific results in the clinic appear to be scarce. The search for cancer-related biomarkers with proteomics however, has major potential to improve risk assessment, early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment selection and monitoring. In this review, we provide an overview of the transition of oncoproteomics towards translational oncology. We describe which lessons are learned from currently approved protein biomarkers and previous proteomic studies, what the pitfalls and challenges are in clinical proteomics applications, and how proteomic research can be successfully translated into medical practice.
Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium; CFP-CeProMa, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Evelyne
E
Maes
Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium; CFP-CeProMa, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Inge
I
Mertens
Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium; CFP-CeProMa, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Dirk
D
Valkenborg
Molecular Pathology Unit, Pathology Department, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.
Patrick
P
Pauwels
Phase I - Early Clinical Trials Unit, Oncology Department, Antwerp University Hospital & Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Antwerp University, Edegem, Belgium. Electronic address: christian.rolfo@uza.be.
Christian
C
Rolfo
Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium; CFP-CeProMa, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Geert
G
Baggerman
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
Clinical proteomics; biomarkers; complexity; sample quality; study design; translation to clinic