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Breast cancer proteomics: a review for clinicians

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Abstract

Purpose

Breast cancer is one of the major health problems of the Western world. Although the survival rate has improved with progress in screening and adjuvant systemic therapies, one-third of the patients with initial breast tumor have recurrence of the disease 10 years after the diagnosis, demonstrating the presence of micrometastasis. The underlying molecular mechanism of the disease needs to be better understood. Allied to genomics, proteomics technologies promise to be valuable for identifying new markers that improve screening, early diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of therapeutic response or toxicity, as well as the identification of new therapeutic targets. In this review, we present features of proteomic technology and its main implications, focusing on the protein profile in tumor tissues/cells through MALDI/SELDI, as well as on the current proteomic challenges in the breast cancer study.

Methods

We performed a research of protein profiling studies using mass spectrometry in breast cancer to identify potential biomarkers.

Results

Many protein peaks have been reported to bear significant diagnostic, prognostic or predictive value; however, the candidate biomarkers have not been validated for use in clinical patient care.

Conclusions

Proteomics is under development and, despite technical barriers that precede the use of proteomics analysis in clinical practice and breast cancer complexity, MALDI-TOF/SELDI-TOF MS proteomic platforms with their innovations are powerful analytical tools for the detection of better protein biomarkers, since the studies are conducted with adequate statistical power and analytical rigor. In the near future, they will be able to fulfill their role in personalized medicine.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank to RENORBIO Postgraduate Program for its incentive to the research in the northeast region of Brazil.

Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest for any of the authors including any financial or personal with other people or organizations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas/Universidade Estadual do Piauí, Rua São Pedro, 3274, Apto 103, Ilhotas, Teresina, Piauí, 64.001-260, Brazil

    E. R. C. G. N. Galvão, L. M. S. Martins & J. O. Ibiapina

  2. Clínica de Ginecologia e Mastologia, Hospital São Marcos, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil

    E. R. C. G. N. Galvão

  3. Laboratório de Patologia, Hospital São Marcos, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil

    J. O. Ibiapina

  4. Laboratório de Leishmanioses, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    H. M. Andrade

  5. Laboratório de Imunogenética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil

    S. J. H. Monte

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  1. E. R. C. G. N. Galvão
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  2. L. M. S. Martins
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  3. J. O. Ibiapina
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  5. S. J. H. Monte
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Correspondence to E. R. C. G. N. Galvão.

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Galvão, E.R.C.G.N., Martins, L.M.S., Ibiapina, J.O. et al. Breast cancer proteomics: a review for clinicians. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 137, 915–925 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-011-0978-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-011-0978-0

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