The promise of methylation on beads for cancer detection and treatment

Angela A. Guzzetta, Thomas R. Pisanic, Prateek Sharma, Joo Mi Yi, Alejandro Stark, Tza Huei Wang, Nita Ahuja

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Despite numerous technical hurdles, the realization of true personalized medicine is becoming a progressive reality for the future of patient care. With the development of new techniques and tools to measure the genetic signature of tumors, biomarkers are increasingly being used to detect occult tumors, determine the choice of treatment and predict outcomes. Methylation of CpG islands at the promoter region of genes is a particularly exciting biomarker as it is cancer-specific. Older methods to detect methylation were cumbersome, operator-dependent and required large amounts of DNA. However, a newer technique called methylation on beads has resulted in a more uniform, streamlined and efficient assay. Furthermore, methylation on beads permits the extraction and processing of miniscule amounts of methylated tumor DNA in the peripheral blood. Such a technique may aid in the clinical detection and treatment of cancers in the future.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)845-852
Number of pages8
JournalExpert Review of Molecular Diagnostics
Volume14
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2014

Keywords

  • CpG island methylation
  • biomarker
  • cancer detection
  • colon cancer
  • methylation on bead
  • pancreatic cancer
  • personalized medicine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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