Question ID: WS-52
Submitted by: Deadly Cancer Coalition
February 8, 2011
Question: Can we find better methods to identify and apply more accurate biomarkers that can significantly impact diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of individual cancer types? Background: A common feature among many cancers – including the deadliest cancers – is the lack of accurate, specific diagnostic tools, which could facilitate earlier diagnoses and monitor treatment responses. Emphasis on translational research initiatives that take advantage of large-scale genomic projects, such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), could potentially facilitate the discovery of biomarkers specific to particular cancer types. By definition, biomarkers would only aid in the diagnostic evaluations of the tumor type in which they were discovered, underlining the desperate need for focused studies on cancers with high mortality rates. Feasibility: Earlier diagnoses and improved disease monitoring may offer clinicians the opportunity to achieve better outcomes in these difficult-to-treat diseases.
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