Biomarkers in Breast Cancer

Book excerpt: Expert laboratory and clinical researchers from around the world review how to design and evaluate studies of tumor markers and examine their use in breast cancer patients. The authors cover both the major advances in sophisticated molecular methods and the state-of-the-art in conventional prognostic and predictive indicators. Among the topics discussed are the relevance of rigorous study design and guidelines for the validation studies of new biomarkers, gene expression profiling by tissue microarrays, adjuvant systemic therapy, and the use of estrogen, progesterone, and epidermal growth factor receptors as both prognostic and predictive indicators. Highlights include the evaluation of HER2 and EGFR family members, of p53, and of UPA/PAI-1; the detection of rare cells in blood and marrow; and the detection and analysis of soluble, circulating markers.