Immunoassays coupled with mass spectrometry
could reveal new dimensions in the blood
By Emanuel F. Petricoin and Lance A. Liotta
Based on evidence that indicates an alarming decline in the number of FDA-approved diagnostic tests for disease detection over the past 15 years,1 it might seem that the biomarker pipeline is running dry. But before succumbing to this view, it is of utmost importance we take a closer look at the circulatory proteome.
While questions remain as to whether detecting diseases at their earliest stages actually improves health (see "Proteomics: Promise and Problems"), most agree that screening approaches have led to dramatic changes in the outcome of some cancers such as cervical cancer.2 We see a future that expands on this promise: one in which diseases can be diagnosed in their earliest stages in hopes of effective intervention, but also where new classes of sensitive imaging technology (e.g., Spiral CT) are ...
