NMR Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about NMR, including details on nuclear magnetic resonance, structural determination, techniques.

NMR-based metabolomics approach to target biomarkers for human prostate cancer.

Jordan KW, Cheng LL

Massachusetts General Hospital, Molecular Pathology, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. kcrocker@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu

In the era of genomics and proteomics, metabolomics offers a unique way to probe the underlying biochemistry of malignant transformations. In the context of oncological metabolomics, the study of the global variation of metabolites involved in the development and progression of cancers, few existing techniques offer as much potential to discover biomarkers as nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The most fundamental magnetic resonance methodologies with regard to human prostate cancer are magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging. Recent in vivo explorations have examined crucial metabolites that may indicate cancerous lesions and have the potential to direct treatment; while ex vivo studies of prostatic fluids and tissues have defined novel diagnostic parameters and indicated that magnetic resonance methodologies will be paramount in future prostate cancer management.

Published 7 June 2007 in Expert Rev Proteomics, 4(3): 389-400.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 NMR Research Today. All Rights Reserved.