Information for researchers

What are biomarkers?

Biological markers which can be detected in the human body through a range of tests can enable doctors to do various things for a disease. They can be divided as:

• Diagnostic biomarkers: enable early diagnosis
• Prognostic biomarkers: define patients' requirements for additional treatment
• Predictive biomarkers: Define the type of treatment
  • Pharmacodynamics: how patient may respond to treatment for e.g., how a drug/medicine may be distributed in body and what effect/side-effect it may have
  • Efficacy response: whether patients are responding to treatment

How is PCRFTB enabling biomarker research?

• To develop a diagnostic test, PCRFTB can allow researchers to access samples that are
  • uniformly collected
  • reliably stored
  • clinically annotated
• PCRFTB consents patients who are often seen by diverse specialities in clinics at different sites
• PCRFTB encourages collaboration between clinicians working in different specialities and scientists with distinct expertise.

What are the emerging opportunities in research and treatment of cancer patients?

• More effective treatments
• Centralisation of services leads to highly experienced teams with efficient protocols
• Cutting edge technologies in research such as
  • Next generation sequencing
  • Proteomics, metabolomics, and other -omics platforms
  • Cell and molecular biology
  • Targeted treatment regimens
  • Bioinformatics and IT