How Cancer Biomarkers Direct Target Specific Therapies?
Author : Emily Davis | Published On : 23 Apr 2024
Introduction of high throughput technologies such as proteomics, genomics, mass spectrometry, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and bioinformatics, researchers are able to develop biomarkers that can predict outcomes of cancer management and treatment with higher accuracy rates. Over the years, different molecular markers have been characterized and identified for making cancer treatment associated decisions. It is worth noting that more than 70 unique biomarkers based tests have been provided by the leading players engaged in the cancer biomarkers market to identify tumor cells for clinical research and commercial usage. Beyond cancer diagnosis, researchers are increasing research to explore the application of biomarkers beyond cancer diagnosis. The ongoing efforts towards high throughput tools for accurate diagnosis and treatment are anticipated to drive the cancer biomarkers market in the future. The cancer biomarker market size is projected to grow from $ 28.6 billion in 2024 to $ 46.7 billion by 2035, representing a CAGR of 5% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2035.
One of the significant roles of biomarkers will be widespread screening so cancer can be detected at an early stage and patients get treatment on time. To date, several cancer biomarkers have received approval from the FDA for screening of cancer cells and treatment purposes. For instance, calcitonin is an advanced cancer market that has been utilized for early diagnosis of thyroid medullary cancer.
Calcitonin levels are high in the serum of a thyroid medullary carcinoma patient, and further clinical assessments may be effective in screening for this malignancy. Calcitonin is a hormone generated by parafollicular C cells in a gland called the thyroid that regulates blood calcium levels. This hormone is raised in malignancies of the parafollicular C cells, also known as medullary thyroid carcinoma.
Hence, the future of cancer treatment is estimated to be dependent upon the cancer biomarkers that will direct physicians during each stage of cancer management. Cancer biomarkers can be utilized to accurately assess and control the illness at different stages. They can be used to predict various outcomes throughout illness progression, including early identification, forecasting outcomes, and disease recurrence. Most crucially, with the clinical debut of many new therapeutic drugs, relevant indicators may be used to forecast which tumors will react to which therapies, as well as the risk of drug resistance.
The next step after identifying biomarkers is to determine the target-specific therapies and personalized medicines. In the future, the focus will be on developing target-specific drugs that interrupt potential drivers of tumor growth. However, it is worth noting here that not all types of cancer currently have biomarkers. Cancer marker market players continue gaining invaluable insight into genomic alterations and identifying novel biomarkers. As researchers will be able to gain in-depth profiling of tumors using biomarkers, better-personalized therapy options will be developed to treat patients.
Future Cancer Biomarkers Research Areas
Currently, many clinical studies are underway to discover and develop biomarkers using genetic arrays along with proteomic technologies. Beyond the identification of new biomarker targets and their benefits, cancer biomarker market leaders are emphasizing the areas listed below.
- Immunotherapy Response
Immunotherapies have been widely used for the treatment of cancer patients. However, it is a well-known fact not all cancer patients respond to these immunotherapies in the same way. The reason for slow or no response is genetic profile and tumor driving factors. To address these concerns, several players in the field of oncology are identifying cancer biomarkers that can identify immune responses to understand which type of immunotherapy works on individual patients on the basis of their genome profiles.
- Genomic Biomarkers
Presently, researchers are emphasizing the development of genomic biomarkers that enable screening of tumor genomes, identification of mutations, gene amplification, and gene fusion that may act as an actionable prognostic indicator. With the development of genomic biomarkers, clinicians will be able to diagnose tumor cells at an early stage, enabling them to create a treatment plan.
- Liquid Biopsies
Liquid biopsy tests emerged as an alternative to invasive tests that cause difficulty for patients during the diagnosis of cancer. In this procedure, a blood sample is drawn out to determine DNA changes at the site of tumors. The procedure is also helpful in understanding how the tumors are developing resistance against particular therapies on the basis of genetic alteration observed during blood tests.
