Conformal predictors in early diagnostics of ovarian and breast cancers

The paper describes an application of a recently developed machine learning technique called Mondrian predictors to risk assessment of ovarian and breast cancers. The analysis is based on mass spectrometry profiling of human serum samples that were collected in the United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening. The paper describes the technique and presents the results of classification (diagnosis) and the corresponding measures of confidence of the diagnostics. The main advantage of this approach is a proven validity of prediction. The paper also describes an approach to improve early diagnosis of ovarian and breast cancers since the data in the United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening were collected over a period of seven years and do allow to make observations of changes in human serum over that period of time. Significance of improvement is confirmed statistically (for up to 11 months for Ovarian Cancer and 9 months for Breast Cancer). In addition, the methodology allowed us to pinpoint the same mass spectrometry peaks as previously detected as carrying statistically significant information for discrimination between healthy and diseased patients. The results are discussed

Cancer of the Uterine Endometrium

The book Cancer of the Uterine Endometrium - Advances and Controversies brings together an international collaboration of authors who share their contributions for the management of endometrial carcinoma. The scope of the text is not basic, but rather aims to provide a comprehensive and updated source of advances in the diagnosis and therapeutic strategies in this field of gynecologic cancer. Each section in the book attempts to provide the most relevant evidence-based information in the biology and genetics, modern imaging, surgery and staging, and therapies for endometrial cancer. It is hoped that future editions will bring additional authors to contribute to this endeavor. To this end, it is our patients who will benefit from this work

Testing breast cancer serum biomarkers for early detection and prognosis in pre-diagnosis samples

This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) University College London Hospitals (UCLH) Biomedical Research Centre. UKCTOCS was core funded by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, and the Department of Health with additional support from the Eve Appeal, Special Trustees of Bart’s and the London, and Special Trustees of UCLH. OB and JFT also received support from the Eve Appeal Gynaecological Cancer Research Trust and Cancer Research UK PRC Programme Grant A12677

Application of flat panel OLED display technology for the point-of-care detection of circulating cancer biomarkers

abstract: Point-of-care molecular diagnostics can provide efficient and cost-effective medical care, and they have the potential to fundamentally change our approach to global health. However, most existing approaches are not scalable to include multiple biomarkers. As a solution, we have combined commercial flat panel OLED display technology with protein microarray technology to enable high-density fluorescent, programmable, multiplexed biorecognition in a compact and disposable configuration with clinical-level sensitivity. Our approach leverages advances in commercial display technology to reduce pre-functionalized biosensor substrate costs to pennies per cm[superscript 2]. Here, we demonstrate quantitative detection of IgG antibodies to multiple viral antigens in patient serum samples with detection limits for human IgG in the 10 pg/mL range. We also demonstrate multiplexed detection of antibodies to the HPV16 proteins E2, E6, and E7, which are circulating biomarkers for cervical as well as head and neck cancers.The final version of this article, as published in Scientific Reports, can be viewed online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep2905

Precision Medicine in Solid Tumors

In the era of precision medicine, the use of molecularly targeted therapies in selected patients has led to a paradigm change in cancer treatment. Multiple studies have demonstrated the benefits of therapies that are chosen based on the molecular profile of the tumor and also from the liquid biopsy. With genomics' increasing ability, a routine transcriptomics analysis of advanced/metastatic cancers is now feasible in most cancer hospitals, including community cancer centers. This is an unprecedented shift in the management of cancers irrespective of their organ types, which not only improved the outcome but also opened several new avenues in research and practice, such as immune-check-point inhibitors, tumor-TME co-evolution in the development of resistance, longitudinal liquid biopsies, biomarkers screening and the management of electronic medical records.This book brings together these crucial areas of investigation. The research presented here attempts to address the current issues to provoke thoughts for the future. The future of precision medicine will have to embrace a shift from in vitro, in vivo/PDX models for the mechanistic study to a more functional test based on the scientific interrogation of genomic data, in the form of functional precision medicine. We will also have to combat the element of noise in the multitudes of data and impart the regulatory structure to make judicious use of the data. The expectations for functional precision medicine are high. We aspire to witness a tremendous improvement in patient outcomes, from better to best, down the road that will match the clinical guidelines