Main description:

In the past, many tumor marker laboratory tests have not been sensitive enough for the very early detection of cancer. However, many of them have nonetheless proved useful in monitoring therapy, following the course of the tumor, and predicting prog- nosis. Today, cancer may be viewed as a genetic disease with various specific chromo- somal and nucleotide aberrations, such as mutations, deletions, gene amplification, gene rearrangements, and translocations occurring during the transformation of a nor- mal cell into a malignant cell. The considerable advances in technology during the past several years have greatly enhanced our ability to detect human cancers in the very early stages of tumor forma- tion. These technologies include: (1) nucleotide molecular assays (genomics); (2) proteomics (multiplex protein measurements); (3) DNA microarrays; and (4) bio- informatics. Many of these technologies are already helping in the integration and use of multiple biomarkers for tumors. Although the individual biomarkers may reveal only limited information, the use of multiple biomarkers can help markedly elevate the diagnostic capabilities for early detection of tumors.

Contents:

Part I: Introduction

General Considerations in the Use and Application of Laboratory Tests for the Evaluation of Cancer
Robert M. Nakamura and Wayne W. Grody

New Insights and Future Advances in Cancer Diagnostics: Limitations of Conventional Tumor Markers
Yasushi Kasahara and Yutaka Tsukada

The Changing Role of the Pathologist in the Management of the Cancer Patient
Raymond B. Nagle

Part II: Serological Tumor Markers

Types of Circulating Tumor Markers and Their Clinical Applications
James T. Wu

Identification of Risk Factors for Early Neoplasm
James T. Wu

Emerging Circulating Tumor Markers
James T. Wu

Prostate Cancer Markers: From Discovery to the Clinic
Judith A. Finlay, Stephen D. Mikolajczyk, Thomas M. Pribyl, R. Bruce Wallace, and Harry G. Rittenhouse

Serum Tumor Marker Test Profile in Testicular Germ-Cell Tumors
Frank J. Liu, Robert M. Nakamura, C. Howard Tseng, and Kevin S. Liu

Autoantibodies, Autoimmunity, and Cancers: Markers for Identification of Early Stages of Tumors
Robert M. Nakamura and Eng M. Tan

Part III: Cellular Tumor Markers. MHC Tetramers: A Tool for Direct Ex Vivo Detection and Enumeration of Tumor-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes
Jennie C. C. Chang, Ferdynand Kos, Charles T. Nugent, and Kristine Kuus-Reichel

New Applications of Flow Cytometry in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy
Sophie Song and Faramarz Naeim

Molecular Diagnostics in Neoplastic Hematopathology
Daniel A. Arber

HER2 and Topoisomerase IIa in Breast Carcinoma
Kenneth J. Bloom

Study of Sentinel Lymph Nodes in the Staging of Malignant Neoplasms
Alice A. Roberts and Alistair J. Cochran

A Marker for Early Diagnosis of Lung Cancer: The Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNP A2/B1)
Jordi Tauler, Alfredo Martinez, and James L.Mulshine

Part IV: Molecular and Genetic Tumor Markers

Molecular Techniques in Cancer Diagnosis and Management
Jeffrey S. Ross, Karen Gray, Rebecca Mosher, and James Stec

DNA Repair Defects in Cancer
Ramune Reliene and Robert H. Schiestl

Chromosomal and Molecular Cytogenetic Assays for Evaluation of Human Tumors
Peter C. Hu, Vicki L. Hopwood, and Armand B. Glassman

Microsatellite Alterations as Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers in Patients With Cancer
Bret Taback and Dave S. B. Hoon

Recent Advances in Molecular Classification and Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer
Tsung-Teh Wu and Asif Rashid

Genetic Counseling for Hereditary Cancer Predisposition Testing
Joyce L. Seldon and Patricia A. Ganz

Diagnosis of Ataxia-Telangiectasia: ATM Mutations Associated With Cancer
Midori Mitsui, Shareef A. Nahas, Helen H. Chun, and Richard A. Gatti

Index