Towards a better knowledge of breast cancer physiopathology: the proteomics approach]

Breast cancer represents a major public health problem. Approximately one woman in ten is likely to develop a malignant tumor of the breast in their lifetime. The frequency of breast cancer is rising steadily for 20 years and the practical benefits in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of this disease are still too limited. Actually, there is no tumor marker with a specificity and sensitivity sufficient to have an utility in clinical and early diagnosis of breast cancer, although, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), MUC-1 and CA 15-3 were reported to be useful as markers for monitoring this disease. Thus, proteomics approaches are needed for the discovery and the identification of new protein biomarkers that may allow a better understanding of biological mechanisms of breast tumor development and serve as potential therapeutic targets. This article reviews advances in this field, as well as, the major contribution of these markers in breast pathology, with a focus on their biological characteristics and their clinical and therapeutic involvement.