Expression Based Markers for Breast Cancer Detection

描述(由申请人提供)：在这份生物标记物开发实验室的续签申请中，研究人员建议使用仔细收集、整理和注释的样本库，对一系列分析和领先标记物进行批判性评估和比较，以确定是否可以开发一种临床有用的工具来加强乳房X光检查和超声检查，以检测乳腺癌。研究人员认为，只有考虑到当前最佳实践中固有的问题，并提供解决这些问题的新算法，才能改善乳腺癌的早期检测。考虑到疾病的异质性、其不确定的生物进展、其高流行率以及目前检测到它的各种方法，我们小组认为，在改进或取代当前的筛查和诊断实践方面，任何单一的方法都不太可能被证明是可靠有效的。因此，这项建议试图对一系列分子方法进行批判性比较，当这些方法结合使用时，将在临床相关乳腺疾病的早期检测中产生显著增强。这项研究将建立在另一项单独资助的NIH研究的数据基础上，并将其纳入其中，该研究旨在改善乳腺癌的放射筛查。分子标记将与临床和人口学数据相结合，建立一个全面的乳腺癌预测模型。该提案结合了杜克大学、雅培实验室、东弗吉尼亚医学院和匹兹堡大学医学中心的专业知识和资源。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In this renewal application for a Biomarker Development Laboratory, the investigators propose to use a carefully collected, curated and annotated bank of specimens to critically evaluate and compare a series of assays and lead markers to determine whether a clinically useful tool can be developed to augment mammography and ultrasound for the detection of breast cancer. The investigators believe early detection of breast cancer can only be improved by considering the problems inherent in the current best practice and supplying novel algorithms for solving these problems. Given the heterogeneity of the disease, its uncertain biologic progression, its high prevalence, and the variety of ways in which it is currently detected, our group considers it unlikely that any single approach will prove to be reliably effective in either improving upon or replacing current screening and diagnostic practices. Therefore, this proposal seeks to critically compare a series of molecular approaches that when applied in some combination will yield significant enhancement in the early detection of clinically relevant breast disease. The study will build upon and incorporate data from a separately funded NIH study that seeks to improve radiologic screening for breast cancer. Molecular markers will be incorporated with clinical and demographic data to build a comprehensive model for breast cancer prediction. This proposal combines the expertise and resources of Duke, Abbott Laboratories, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.