Abstract

Protein Content of Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarker in Cancer

Andreas Möller, Associate Professor, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Despite significant therapeutic advances, cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide. A significant clinical problem is the generally late discovery of a cancer and the uncertainty of choosing the most effective therapy for the individual patient. Several novel biomarkers are proposed, ranging from genetic and genomic evaluations of the cancer or the cancer material in circulation to assessing nucleic acids, proteins or lipids. Accurate cancer biomarkers, in particular non-invasive liquid biomarkers based on blood samples or other body fluids, will allow clinicians to identify cancer patients early, triage them to the most appropriate intervention and follow the response of the cancer in real time over the course of the therapy.

In this presentation, I will share data on a novel biomarker for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). We have developed a blood-based multi-protein signature capable of accurately prognosticating clinical outcome in NSCLC patient cohorts. This signature is contained in small circulating nano-vesicles termed exosomes. Overall, this work describes a novel prognostic biomarker signature to identify early stage NSCLC patients at risk of developing metastatic NSCLC, thereby enabling implementation of personalized adjuvant treatment decisions.