title: Specificity of Genetic Biomarker Studies in Cancer Research: A Systematic Review.
abstract: As genetic information becomes more readily available, there is increasing demand from both patients and providers to develop personalized approaches to cancer care. Investigators are increasingly reporting numbers of studies correlating genomic signatures and other biomarkers to survival endpoints. The extent to which cancer-specific and non-specific effects are reported in contemporary studies is unknown. In this review of 85 high-impact studies associating genetic biomarkers with cancer outcomes, 95% reported significant associations with event-free survival outcomes, yet less than half reported effects on a cancer-specific endpoint. This methodology leaves open the possibility that observed associations are unrelated to cancer.
authors.affiliation: Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Garrett
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3263-1654
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.affiliation: Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kaveh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zakeri
authors.affiliation: Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Chih-Han
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Saif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borgan
authors.affiliation: Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Zaid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Marhoon
authors.affiliation: Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharabi
authors.affiliation: Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Loren K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Mell
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor