Haah-based serum immunoassay as a tool for early diagnosis of breast cancer

Over recent decades significant progress has been made in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. However, it remains a formidable threat occupying third place in the list of significant cancers which isthe cause of mortality of a high number of American women and men. Thus, there is a need for novel effective and safe therapies for metastatic breast cancer including those targeting tumor-specific molecular markers. Human aspartyl (asparaginyl) b-hydroxylase (HAAH) is an embryonic protein that is overexpressed on the surface of cancer cells. It has been demonstrated to be responsible for cellproliferation, motility and invasiveness, which can all be inhibited by anti-HAAH antibodies in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of this protein has been detected in a number of cancers including breastcancer. In contrast, the expression of HAAH in normal cells is low and the protein is generally localized only to internal compartments (e.g. endoplasmic reticulum). HAAH is a transmembrane protein and is readily released into the blood of cancer patients. The HAAH-based serum assay serves as the basis for diagnostic tests in various cancer types. The specificity and sensitivity of the HAAH test are well above 90%, while the test detects cancer at the earliest stages. HAAH-based diagnostic tests are expected to improve the quality of care for patients with cancer. Early detection of breast cancer using the HAAH test is performed by monitoring an elevated HAAH in primary and recurrent breast cancer but not in patients thought to be in remission. Thus, this diagnostic test is useful for the management of patients by physicians. The test has shown excellent accuracy under ideal conditions and expected to perform well under routine patient management situations. In conclusion, the HAAH assay can be employed for early diagnosis of breast cancer patients, monitoring treatment response, and predicting to the prognosis of patients to anti-cancer drugs.

Keywords:

Breast Cancer , Cancer Diagnosis , Cancer Prevention , Cancer Treatment and Management , Targeted Cancer Therapy