Proteomics in Cancer Detection and Treatment: Biomarker Discovery and Personalized Medicine

Abstract

Proteomics has emerged as a transformative field in cancer research by providing comprehensive insights into protein expression, structure, function, interactions, and post-translational modifications associated with tumor development and progression. Cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease influenced by genetic, molecular, cellular, tissue, environmental, and socioeconomic factors that continuously evolve throughout disease progression. Despite remarkable advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment, the disease remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, highlighting the need for more accurate diagnostic biomarkers and personalized therapeutic approaches. This review aims to examine the role of proteomics in cancer biomarker discovery and its contribution to the development of personalized medicine for cancer detection and treatment. The review is based on published literature describing recent advances in proteomic technologies, cancer biomarker identification, proteogenomics, and precision oncology. Current evidence demonstrates that proteomics has significantly improved the identification of reliable biomarkers for early cancer detection, tumor classification, prognosis, therapeutic target discovery, and treatment monitoring. Furthermore, integration of proteomics with genomic data has enhanced understanding of cancer progression and individualized therapy. Overall, proteomics represents a powerful platform for advancing cancer diagnosis, biomarker discovery, and personalized medicine.