The Role of Proteomics in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Women's Cancers: Current Trends in Technology and Future Opportunities

Abstract

Technological and scientific innovations over the last decade have greatly contributed to improved diagnostics, predictive models, and prognosis among cancers affecting women. In fact, an explosion of information in these areas has almost assured future generations that outcomes in cancer will continue to improve. Herein we discuss the current status of breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers as it relates to screening, disease diagnosis, and treatment options. Among the differences in these cancers, it is striking that breast cancer has multiple predictive tests based upon tumor biomarkers and sophisticated, individualized options for prescription therapeutics while ovarian cancer lacks these tools. In addition, cervical cancer leads the way in innovative, cancer-preventative vaccines and multiple screening options to prevent disease progression. For each of these malignancies, emerging proteomic technologies based upon mass spectrometry, stable isotope labeling with amino acids, high-throughput ELISA, tissue or protein microarray techniques, and click chemistry in the pursuit of activity-based profiling can pioneer the next generation of discovery. We will discuss six of the latest techniques to understand proteomics in cancer and highlight research utilizing these techniques with the goal of improvement in the management of women’s cancers.

Overexpression of miRNA-221 promotes cell proliferation by targeting the apoptotic protease activating factor-1 and indicates a poor prognosis in ovarian cancer

“…Despite developments in cancer therapy in the past two decades, the mortality from ovarian cancer has remained constant (1). Early diagnosis and improved prognostic markers are required to improve patient survival rates for ovarian cancer (2). The identification of new molecular markers may also lead to more effective and targeted therapies for ovarian cancer.…”

Analysis of UHRF1 expression in human ovarian cancer tissues and its regulation in cancer cell growth

“…Thus, early diagnosis and estimation of risk of future progression have a significant impact on the prognosis of this tumor. Over the past decade, intensive research efforts have been made toward the detection and treatment of ovarian cancer, but the long-term survival of women with ovarian cancer has only improved modestly [2]. Exploring the potential molecular target for ovarian cancer gene therapy is still a hot topic.…”

Proteomics of endometrial cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis

“…MALDI-MSI is a valuable method for the identification of biomarkers and can complement histology, immunohistochemistry [85], and molecular pathology in various fields of histopathological diagnostics, especially with regard to identification and grading of tumors [86]. Whereas, MALDI-MSI is optimally suited to detect a large number of molecular features in a given tissue sample, the tissue microarray method enables expansion of this analysis to hundreds of tissue samples in a single experiment [87,88]. In MALDI-MSI, proteins or in situ digested peptides are directly ionized from the surface of the tissue sample and a characteristic histological pattern is derived for hundreds or thousands of individual proteins/peptides simultaneously.…”