Molecular markers used in breast cancer diagnosis — current practice and future perspectives

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women and a leading cause of cancer-related death. Despite many available diagnostic tools and techniques, tumor heterogeneity and molecular diversity of breast cancer tumors require new biomarkers in clinical practice. A potential diagnostic test can be built based on few biomarkers. Those biomarkers may not be specific and sensitive enough to be a single diagnostic tool, but might be useful as a set of biomarkers e.g. CEA, CA15-3, MammaPrint®, HER2 and BRCA1, 2. The second group of potential biomarkers are microRNAs. Changes in miRNA and altered genes expression may contribute to the development of breast cancer and metastases. Integration of proteomics, genomics, and metabolomics data is necessary to discover a new panel of biomarkers.