Abstract CN14-02: Proteomics strategies for lung cancer diagnostics

CN14-02

Proteomics strategies for lung cancer diagnostics

Pierre P. Massion, MD

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

To address the lung cancer epidemic, early detection and chemoprevention strategies are urgently needed. A better understanding of lung carcinogenesis is critical to improve chemoprevention strategies. The study of molecular abnormalities in preinvasive lesions represents one way to address the critical steps of lung tumor development. The identification of molecular events involved in preinvasive lesions progression could lead to clinical studies with new molecular-targeted agents and the development of surrogate biomarkers. Such biomarkers are essential to select high-risk patients, select chemoprevention strategies and monitor drug efficacy. While morphological features of the airway mucosa of high risk individuals are well established, by themselves do not provide a satisfying predictive model of lung cancer development. The hypothesis pursued here is that molecular characteristics of the airway mucosa would provide a powerful tool to classify subjects at high risk for lung cancer and should ultimately personalize the management of lung cancer and reduce the overall mortalityassociated with this disease. Bronchial specimen obtained from these high risk individuals lead to the report of a series of candidate biomarkers. These markers are being discovered through a series of methodologies advances that include proteomic strategies such as conventional immunhistochemical analyses, antibody arrays, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry and shotgun proteomics. Advances in the understanding of the molecularbiology of preinvasive lesions havehelped identify many promising potential markers of early lesionswhich may lead to new effective biomarkers and chemopreventive strategies in high-riskpopulations.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):CN14-02.