Systematic exploration of human plasma and serum for circulating proteins as biomarkers for cancer, hematologic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus has been actively pursued for decades.
The problem is, not much has been found that holds up to the rigors of sensitivity and specificity on a large scale.
We’re aware of the myriad theories about the “why”… like…- selection of appropriate patient poulations
- availability of accurately matched controls
- sample collection
- sample handling and storage
- quality and depth of available clinical information
- variable profiling techniques
- etc.
Standard Operating Procedures and Quality Control/Quality Assurance checks are necessary because there is really no standard out there to guarantee reproducability of new procedures. It’s almost like flying blind, there are so many new variables. From a technical and economic viewpoint, every assay has to be sufficiently robust to be completed in community-based hospitals, physician clinics, and must be transportable over long distances and even days.
From a patient perspective, there is a real feeling that drugs and treatments should be highly adaptable and ultimately relevant to the patient. The days of treating cancer patients with drugs of low toxicity or of high tolerance regardless of their efficacy are quickly coming to an end. In much the same way, there is a growing trend to utilize a panel of biomarkers in the hopes that there will be a marker among the group that works effectively to identify disease in every patient.
Attention do detail makes all the difference.
