Protein Microarray Technology for the Noninvasive Diagnosis and Prognosis of Breast Cancer

摘要

A number of circulation markers have been identified that have the potential to be used in the detection or prognosis of breast cancer. Unfortunately, no single marker is consistently increased in breast cancer patients when compared with the general population. We hypothesized, however, that a sophisticated analysis of large number of circulation markers would accurately detect breast cancer as well as provide a valuable tool for prognosis. Therefore, we proposed to develop a rapid and simple system to measure a large number of blood markers associated with breast cancer. In order to accomplish this we have developed an antibody microarray with antibodies specific to different blood markers. We have sceened twenty markers and generated. We have refined the microarry to measure markers with a sensitivity down to 0.5 pg/ml. We have used employed this microarry to 200 serum samples form breast cancer patients and control patients. These data have undergone an initial analysis and a number of relationships have been identified. These data will be analyzed using sophisticated computer programs that are designed to find relationships in a complex data set such as this. These studies will result in a prototype chip that can be used for the rapid determination of circulation markers associated with breast cancer.