Nurse Researcher’s Role in Breast Cancer Biomarkers

 

Sampoornam W.

PhD Scholar, Saveetha University Chennai- 602105

 

ABSTRACT:

A cancer biomarker refers to a substance or process that is indicative of the presence of cancer in the body. A biomarker may be a molecule secreted by a tumor or a specific response of the body to the presence of cancer. Genetic, epigenetic, proteomic, glycomic, and imaging biomarkers can be used for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and epidemiology. Ideally, such biomarkers can be assayed in non-invasively collected bio fluids like blood or serum. The premise of nursing assessment is the same as that of biomarker use – biological variables that appear at one level of biological organization eg, molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, and organism correspond to processes or events occurring at other levels of biologic organization. The advent of genomic technologies has logarithmically increased the volume of biomarkers, which are expected to provide new insights that improve patient care. This review article focus on the breast cancer nurses role in biomarkers which in turn has a very big research gap in order to draw an evidence based practice. Biomarkers in breast cancer include Tissue Predictive Biomarkers and Predictive Biomarkers in Body Fluids.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

The incorporation of biomarkers into cancer clinical trials has been an important advancement in the last two decades of cancer research and has been critical to increasing our understanding of cancer across the spectrum from early lesions to frank cancers. While the incorporation of biomarkers into studies may increase the significance of the results, they also increase cost and a burden on research subjects. It is important for nurses to have an understanding of both the science and the implications of the biomarkers.

 

 

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Nurses and patients will benefit greatly from the incorporation of molecular biomarkers into patient care. Nurses will be able to better assess and anticipate patient needs with the new insights that are available in the post-genomic, personalized medicine era of health care.

 

Although the rapid rate of technological changes and new discoveries will require continuing concerted educational efforts, the improved quality of patient care will be rewarded by better outcomes. Langley AR, et.al conducted a cross-sectional study of breast cancer biomarkers among shift working nurses. The study was sought to investigate the relationships of shift work history, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMTs-6, the primary melatonin metabolite) and sex hormone levels among shift working nurses. The results do not support the proposed relationship between melatonin and sex hormone levels as biomarkers on the pathway of shift work and breast cancer but emphasise the importance of adjusting for confounders in modelling.

 

Debra Lyon, et. al conducted a cross-sectional study to note Challenges in Interpreting Cytokine Biomarkers in Bio behavioural Research among breast cancer patients to compare the levels of plasma cytokines in women with breast cancer, women with a benign breast biopsy, and a normal comparison group. The levels of 17 cytokines were measured using multiplex bead array assays (Bio-Plex). The levels of plasma cytokines in the sample of 35 women who had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, 24 women with a suspicious breast mass, who subsequently were found to have a benign breast biopsy, and 33 women in a normal comparison group present a background for discussing the implications of extreme between-group differences for bio behavioural nursing research. Both the levels of individual cytokines and their patterns were distinctly different in the three groups. The exemplar presented from the three-group comparison has implications for planning bio behavioural nursing research in patients with conditions characterized by inflammation.

 

Breast cancer nurses play an important role in biomarkers and the nurses should possess adequate knowledge in the area of biomarkers which includes Tissue Predictive Biomarkers and Predictive Biomarkers in Body Fluids. Tissue Predictive Biomarkers are cell kinetics, urokinase- type plasminogen activator and PAI-1, predictive value of c-erb-B2 for endocrine therapy and chemotherapy in breast cancer, erb –B2 as a therapeutic target and p53 as a prognostic and predictive indicator.  Predictive Biomarkers in Body Fluids are occult metastatic cells in breast cancer patients, circulating HER2/neu Allan and circulating vascular endothelial growth factor.

 

CONCLUSION:

Nurses should conduct research in the area of biomarkers among breast cancer patients which could bring strong evidence based practice and also fills the research gap. Breast cancer nurse as a navigator should participate actively by conducting both experimental and non experimental research studies. Nurses should also recognize the importance of research with biomarkers. Bio physiological parameters could help out nurse researcher in conducting research with biomarkers successfully.     

 

REFERENCES:

1.       Mishra, Alok, Verma, Mukesh (2010) Cancer Biomarkers: Are We Ready for the Prime Time? Cancers. 2. 1: 190–208

2.       Richmond ES, Dunn D (2012) Biomarkers: an overview for oncology nurses. 28.2:87-92

3.       Reid M, Yasko J (2012) The role of biomarkers in cancer clinical trials. Seminar Oncology Nursing.  28. 2:116-21

4.       Langley AR, et al. (2012) A cross-sectional study of breast cancer biomarkers among shift working nurses. 2.1

5.       Debra Lyon, et. al. (2011) Challenges in Interpreting Cytokine Biomarkers in Bio behavioural Research: A Breast Cancer Exemplar. Biological research for nursing.  13.1:25-31

6.       Biomarkers in Breast Cancer. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. 2006.

 

 

Received on 29.01.2014           Modified on 08.02.2014

Accepted on 10.03.2014           © A&V Publication all right reserved