Abstract
Background and Need for Novel Biomarkers: Brain tumors are the leading cause of death by solid tumors in children. Although improvements have been made in their radiological detection and treatment, our capacity to promptly diagnose pediatric brain tumors in their early stages remains limited. This contrasts several other cancers where serum biomarkers such as cancer antigen (CA) 19-9 and CA 125 facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.Aim: The aim of this article is to review the latest literature and highlight biomarkers which may be of clinical use in the common types of primary pediatric brain tumor.Methods: A PubMed search was performed to identify studies reporting biomarkers in the bodily fluids of pediatric patients with brain tumors. Details regarding the sample type [serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or urine], biomarkers analyzed, methodology, tumor type, and statistical significance were recorded.Results: A total of 12 manuscripts reporting 19 biomarkers in 367 patients vs. 397 controls were identified in the literature. Of the 19 biomarkers identified, 12 were isolated from CSF, 2 from serum, 3 from urine, and 2 from multiple bodily fluids. All but one study reported statistically significant differences in biomarker expression between patient and control groups.Conclusion: This review identifies a panel of novel biomarkers for pediatric brain tumors. It provides a platform for the further studies necessary to validate these biomarkers and, in addition, highlights several techniques through which new biomarkers can be discovered.
Highlights
Brain tumors are the leading cause of death from solid tumors in children [1]
Through a literature search, this study identifies 19 candidate biomarkers, all but one of which separated tumor patients from controls to a statistically significant degree
It is not possible to draw firm conclusions on the biomarkers’ clinical utility based on these studies alone
Summary
BACKGROUND Brain tumors are the leading cause of death from solid tumors in children [1] This statistic, coupled with the rising incidence rate of pediatric brain tumors from 2.3 cases per 100,000 in 1975 to 3.6 cases per 100,000 in 2009 [1], highlights the need for novel approaches aimed at tackling these tumors. Whereas serum biomarkers, such as cancer antigen (CA) 125 and CA 19-9, facilitate the early diagnosis and treatment of several cancers of adults, few biomarkers exist for pediatric malignancies. Improvements have been made in their radiological detection and treatment, our capacity to promptly diagnose pediatric brain tumors in their early stages remains limited.This contrasts several other cancers where serum biomarkers such as cancer antigen (CA) 19-9 and CA 125 facilitate early diagnosis and treatment
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