Biotech Values

[Biowatch]

Re: disease Biomarkers: Thank you for your answer.

Are there databases listing relatively noninvasive blood tests that can identify and track a disease?

I doubt there is ONE uniform disease biomarker for each disease you listed. It's much more complicated than that. The best you can hope for is to find certain biomarker that is related to the targeted treatment, which in turn to predict whether the patient will likely respond to the targeted treatment or not.

I don't expect a "magic bullet" disease marker. Yet, what do we know about biomarkers for specific diseases which could act as red flags signaling it's there or about to flare up? How can you catch something before it's too late?

Simple example, diabetics routinely get needle sticks to check blood sugar levels.

Many things aren't so easy, but many things have been looked at. Some of them involve getting a sample of a tumor or some other part of your body, which is often invasive, cumbersome, expensive, and slow.

Yet there are other markers people have tried to use, such as PSA (or it's rate of change) for prostate cancer or CA-125 for other problems.

How much research has been done as to what works, how well it works, what are the pros and cons of a set of lab test results for a particular diagnosis? Is it in a central place?

Years ago, the FDA looked into biomarkers, aka surrogate markers, but at the time weren't convinced.

There should be a database on the web that summarizes data on this subject. However, I don't know about it.

For example, there is genetic marker BRCA gene mutation for breast and ovarian cancer. People with BRCA gene mutation have increased RISK of developing breast/ovarian cancer. However, it doesn't mean you DEFINITELY develop breast/ovarian cancer if you have BRCA gene mutation. People who don't have BRCA gene mutation do develop breat/ovarian cancer. This illustrates the point it is much more complicated than genetic marker alone - there are other factors involved, both known and unknown.

You are absolutely correct that genetic markers only show a tendency for someone to get a common disease. Aside from rare inherited problems or the overly few cases were it can determine if a particular drug will help a particular patient, they don't help much in the clinic.