Tumor markers in serum and plasma

So far, considerations about clinical outcome for breast cancer patients are based on prognostic factors in the primary tumor. Since it is rather the metastatic potential that should be evaluated, the analysis of prognostic factors in the primary tumor can be considered as an “indirect” way of evaluating this capacity. A more “direct” approach is to look for markers (specific markers or patterns of several proteins), released to the peripheral blood as an ultra-staging of the disease. Such analyses can be used for diagnostic purposes, early detection, prognostic considerations, and for monitoring treatment effects.