Advances in biomarkers for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer

Chin J Cancer. 2010 Feb;29(2):229-33. doi: 10.5732/cjc.009.10274.

Abstract

More and more studies have revealed that the level of serum prostate specific antigen(PSA) has little value for early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). For example, negative prostate biopsies are as high as 70%-80% for patients with serum PSA ranging between 4 ng/mL and 10 ng/mL. However, the negative results cannot exclude the existence of cancer. In the studies of the early diagnosis of PCa, investigators focused on seeking biomarkers that have higher sensitivity and specificity. Recently, PSA derivatives, HPC1, PCA3, TMPRSS2: ETS, GSTP1, AMACR, GOLPH2, EPCA, sarcosine, and the combination of multiple biomarkers are widely discussed. In this article, we have reviewed their recent development and the prospective value of the combination of multiple biomarkers, which may be helpful for the early diagnosis and the prognostic monitoring of patients with PCa.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Neoplasm / metabolism
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Endoribonucleases / metabolism
  • Glutathione S-Transferase pi / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / metabolism
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Racemases and Epimerases / metabolism
  • Sarcosine / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • GOLM1 protein, human
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • TMPRSS2-ETS fusion protein, human
  • early prostate cancer antigen, human
  • prostate cancer antigen 3, human
  • GSTP1 protein, human
  • Glutathione S-Transferase pi
  • Endoribonucleases
  • 2-5A-dependent ribonuclease
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen
  • Racemases and Epimerases
  • alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase
  • Sarcosine