Cancer Biomarkers: Minimal and Noninvasive Early Diagnosis and Prognosis PDF

Preface

According to the American Cancer Society report, "By 2030, the global cancer burden is expected to nearly double, growing to 21.4 million cases and 13.2 million deaths." Early diagnosis improves treatment efficacy and quality of life as well as reduces the cost for disease management. However, the development of molecular markers for early cancer diagnosis is always a challenge. Some fundamental principles in medical practice are (a) primum non nocere, a Latin phrase that means "first, do no harm," and (b) even when a patient's prognosis is poor, the physician must do his or her best for improving quality of the patient's life. Therefore, noninvasive or minimally invasive cancer diagnostic methods are of choice that can avoid complications of biopsy and other unfavorable impacts on patients' health. In this context, patients' easily collectable biospecimens such as blood, serum, plasma, urine, stool, sputum, saliva, etc., based molecular markers having high specificity and sensitivity in early diagnosis are emerging rapidly, and in many instances such markers are also emerging as next-generation prognostic indicators and personalized therapeutics and precision medicine. Several patents have been filed and/or granted on such markers, and a number of health-care companies and authorities currently use or focus on the development of such markers. The significance of clinical validation approaches of several markers has been discussed in different chapters.

This book, Cancer Biomarkers: Minimal and Noninvasive Early Diagnosis and Prognosis, reflects the rapid expansion of important scientific, technological, clinical, and translational aspects of noninvasive or minimally invasive molecular cancer biomarkers and their applications along with other conventional markers. It presents the most recent data and almost all promising current and upcoming early diagnostic noninvasive molecular markers for the majority of the common cancers. Furthermore, sensitivity and specificity of markers, biomarker market, test providers, and patent information have been provided. Therefore, the book is a readily available resource for doctors, clinicians, scientists, researchers, and all those working in the health-care industry to recommend or develop early diagnostics, at-risk tests, and prognostic biomarkers for various cancers.

The book is an international effort coordinated and headed by Debmalya Barh, the principal member of the editorial board, who has brought together more than 100 experts (clinicians, doctors, and scientists) in the field of cutting-edge cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy from 23 countries to contribute and share their knowledge. It is divided into eight parts that include 32 chapters covering almost all commonly prevalent cancers. Part I describes the general and technical aspects of noninvasive cancer markers. It consists of nine chapters that cover imaging as well as cutting-edge molecular technologies for biomarker development, noninvasive or minimally invasive sources of molecular markers, and even quality control and ethical issues in cancer biomarker discovery. Part II consists of three chapters that provide a detailed account of brain, head and neck, and oral cancer markers. Part III consists of five chapters that provide comprehensive information on various gastrointestinal cancers. Part IV deals with lung cancer and mesothelioma markers. An entire chapter on promising exhaled volatile markers for early lung cancer diagnosis is included to emphasize the importance of volatile markers in early cancer diagnosis. Part V covers noninvasive early molecular markers in urological cancers. It consists of three chapters that describe kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers. Part VI consists of five chapters that describe gynecological and endocrine cancer markers. It also discusses noninvasive markers of breast, ovarian, cervical, and thyroid cancers. Part VII deals with hematological malignancies. It consists of four chapters that cover noninvasive molecular markers in myelodysplastic syndromes, acute myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Part VIII provides comprehensive information on diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cutaneous melanoma.

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