Major Milestones in Translational Oncology

Overview

Journal BMC Med

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2016 Jul 30

PMID 27469586

Citations 5

Authors

Tommaso A Dragani

Antoni Castells

Vathany Kulasingam

Eleftherios P Diamandis

Helena Earl

Wade T Iams

Christine M Lovly

J P Michiel Sedelaar

Jack A Schalken

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Translational oncology represents a bridge between basic research and clinical practice in cancer medicine. Today, translational research in oncology benefits from an abundance of knowledge resulting from genome-scale studies regarding the molecular pathways involved in tumorigenesis. In this Forum article, we highlight the state of the art of translational oncology in five major cancer types. We illustrate the use of molecular profiling to subtype colorectal cancer for both diagnosis and treatment, and summarize the results of a nationwide screening program for ovarian cancer based on detection of a tumor biomarker in serum. Additionally, we discuss how circulating tumor DNA can be assayed to safely monitor breast cancer over the course of treatment, and report on how therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors is proving effective in advanced lung cancer. Finally, we summarize efforts to use molecular profiling of prostate cancer biopsy specimens to support treatment decisions. Despite encouraging early successes, we cannot disregard the complex genetics of individual susceptibility to cancer nor the enormous complexity of the somatic changes observed in tumors, which urge particular attention to the development of personalized therapies.

Citing Articles

Clinical translational research of liquid biopsy applications in prostate cancer and other urological cancers.

Huang J, Huang D, Ruan X, Zhan Y, Chun S, Ng A Camb Prism Precis Med. 2024; 1:e33.

PMID: 38550929 PMC: 10953770. DOI: 10.1017/pcm.2023.19.

Preclinical Applications of Multi-Platform Imaging in Animal Models of Cancer.

Serkova N, Glunde K, Haney C, Farhoud M, De Lille A, Redente E Cancer Res. 2020; 81(5):1189-1200.

PMID: 33262127 PMC: 8026542. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-0373.

Naturally occurring cancers in pet dogs as pre-clinical models for cancer immunotherapy.

Tarone L, Barutello G, Iussich S, Giacobino D, Quaglino E, Buracco P Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2019; 68(11):1839-1853.

PMID: 31222484 PMC: 11028358. DOI: 10.1007/s00262-019-02360-6.

Expanding the Role for Kidney Biopsies in Acute Kidney Injury.

Waikar S, McMahon G Semin Nephrol. 2018; 38(1):12-20.

PMID: 29291757 PMC: 5753426. DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2017.09.001.

Circulating biomarkers in epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis: from present to future perspective.

Montagnana M, Benati M, Danese E Ann Transl Med. 2017; 5(13):276.

PMID: 28758102 PMC: 5515813. DOI: 10.21037/atm.2017.05.13.

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