Cancer biomarkers are measurable indicators of biological states or conditions that can help diagnose, prognosticate, and predict responses to treatment. Biomarkers can include proteins, gene mutations, extra or missing genes, and other molecules secreted by tumors or representing body responses to cancer. Some commonly used cancer biomarkers measure levels of proteins like HER2, PSA, CA125, and carcinoembryonic antigen to diagnose specific cancer types, determine prognosis, monitor therapy effectiveness, and detect recurrence of cancers like breast, prostate, ovarian, and colon cancer. Biomarkers play an important role in developing and applying new cancer therapies.

1. CANCER BIOMARKER

2. WHAT IS BIOMARKER?
 A bio-marker, or biological marker is a measurable
indicator of some biological state or condition. Biomarkers are
often measured and evaluated to examine normal biological
processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic
responses to a therapeutic intervention. Biomarkers are used
in many scientific fields.
 Biomarkers can be detected in blood, urine, tissues or other
body fluid.

3. CANCER BIOMARKER
 Cancer biomarkers can include:
 Proteins
 Gene mutations
 Gene rearrangements
 Extra copies of genes
 Missing genes
 Other molecules
 A cancer biomarker is a molecule secreted by a
tumour or a specific response of the body to the
presence of cancer.

4. In cancer research and medicine,
biomarkers are used in three
primary ways:
1. Diagnostic: To help diagnose conditions, as in the case of
identifying early stage cancers.
2. Prognostic: To forecast how aggressive a condition is, as in the
case of determining a patient's ability to fare in the absence of
treatment.
3. Predictive: To predict how well a patient will respond to
treatment.

6. Questions that can be answered by cancer
biomarkers:
Prognostic
Is it likely to develop this cancer?
Diagnostic
What type of cancer is it?
Pharmacodynamics
What is the optimal dose?
Recurrence
Will the cancer return?
Predictive
Is this the optimal drug for that cancer?

7. Some Cancer Biomarkers in clinical use
Cancer Biomarker Names Cancer type Clinical uses
HER2 Breast cancer • Select patients for
trastuzumab therapy
PSA Prostate cancer • Screening
• Diagnosis
CA125 Ovarian cancer • Prognosis
• Detecting recurrence
• Monitoring therapy
Human chorionic
gonadotropin-β
Testicular cancer • Diagnosis
• Staging
• Detecting recurrence
• Monitoring therapy
CA 19-9 Pancreatic cancer • Monitoring therapy
Carcinoembryonic
antigen
Colon cancer • Monitoring therapy
• Prognosis
• Detecting recurrence
• Screening for hepatic
metastases
Thyroglobulin Thyroid cancer • Monitoring

8. Conclusion
Cancer biomarkers are crucial to discovering and developing novel
cancer therapeutics. They are also key in clinical practice, where they
have applications in risk assessment, diagnosis, prognosis, and
determination of treatment efficacy and relapse.

9. Thank you