ABSTRACT
Biomarker, a portmanteau of “biological marker” is a naturally occurring molecule, gene, or characteristic capable of serving as a measurable indicator for some biological state or disease condition. Cancer biomarkers over time have gained lots of recognition for their usefulness in the early detection of cancer in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, surveillance of patients with a high risk of cancer recurrence and as surrogate endpoint markers for primary prevention strategies. Biomarkers are also useful for the evaluation of potential drug therapies and drug developmental processes including drug developmental studies, safety measurements, proof of concept studies, and molecular profiling. This chapter provides an overview of the role of biomarkers in cancer research, screening, and drug development. It went further to detail the various cancer biomarkers utilized for screening, diagnosis, and prognosis.
