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The cancer biomarker problem

Nature volume 452, pages 548–552 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Genomic technologies offer the promise of a comprehensive understanding of cancer. These technologies are being used to characterize tumours at the molecular level, and several clinical successes have shown that such information can guide the design of drugs targeted to a relevant molecule. One of the main barriers to further progress is identifying the biological indicators, or biomarkers, of cancer that predict who will benefit from a particular targeted therapy.

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Figure 1: Types of biomarker.
Figure 2: Biomarkers in the PI(3)K–PTEN–mTOR pathway.

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Acknowledgements

I thank S. Friend and T. Golub for many engaging debates about cancer biomarkers. I also thank the participants in the National Cancer Policy Forum–Institute of Medicine workshop on 3–5 October 2005 at the National Academy of Sciences, who shared their perspectives on the challenges of biomarker development. Work in my laboratory is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the National Cancer Institute and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, 10065, New York, USA

    Charles L. Sawyers

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  1. Charles L. Sawyers
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Competing interests

C.L.S. is a consultant to AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Cell Signaling Technology, Exelixis, Housey Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Medivation and Merck & Co.

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Correspondence should be addressed to the author (sawyersc@mskcc.org).

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Sawyers, C. The cancer biomarker problem. Nature 452, 548–552 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06913

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