Biomarkers 101
If you’ve ever been diagnosed with a health condition, a biomarker is at play, even if you’ve never heard the word. Biomarkers help healthcare providers identify, monitor and determine risk for disease — including heart disease, the leading cause of death for women in the U.S.
Biomarkers also play a big role in the development of medications and treatment options for health conditions such as cancer. Here’s more on the fascinating world of biomarkers, and what you need to know about biomarker testing.
What is a biomarker?
A biomarker is a biological substance or sign that can be measured to evaluate health and disease. Biomarkers can be molecules, proteins, genes and other characteristics found in blood, body fluids or tissue.
One example of a biomarker is blood glucose (sugar). High or fluctuating blood sugar levels is a sign of diabetes. A healthcare provider can use the blood sugar levels to move forward with a diagnosis and the best treatment plan to manage the condition.
Other examples of biomarkers can include:
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate
- Body temperature
- Cholesterol
Why are biomarkers important?
Biomarkers are important for many reasons. For one, they can help identify underlying conditions and diseases — sometimes before symptoms even start. Biomarkers also help predict how serious a condition might be and the right treatment plan to choose. For example, some biomarkers affect how cancer treatments work. A biomarker test can help guide treatment and personalized medicine tailored to the biomarkers in your body.
Biomarkers play a big role in developing new treatments and medications for health conditions. Researchers can use biomarkers to measure important factors such as safety of the drug, dosage and who is most likely to benefit from the treatment.
What are the types of biomarkers?
Biomarkers belong to different groups based on their purpose. These include:
- Susceptibility/risk — used to identify the potential for developing a health condition
- Diagnostic — used to confirm or identify a condition
- Prognostic — used to determine the risk of disease and the possibility for recurrence and progression for people living with a health condition
- Monitoring — used to track the progress of a condition or treatment
- Predictive — used to predict how beneficial a treatment may be
- Pharmacodynamic/response — used to show changes in response to treatment
- Safety — used to monitor side effects from treatment
What is biomarker testing?
Biomarker testing is used to measure biomarkers in blood, body fluids or tissue. These tests can include:
- Blood tests
- Tissue biopsies
- Medical imaging
- Genetic testing
- Urine tests
- Saliva tests
The results help healthcare providers identify conditions and may be helpful before, during and after a diagnosis, depending on the condition.
Women and biomarkers
Biomarkers can also help identify health conditions specific to women. For example, certain protein biomarkers can help identify gynecological cancers, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). And biomarkers play a crucial role in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
Other biomarkers can include:
- AMH levels for menopause
- CVD protein for early menopause
- CA-125 and HE4 for ovarian cancer
One recent meta-analysis found miRNAs biomarkers can identify the exact stage of ovarian cancer — even early stages — which can lead to more personalized treatments and better outcomes.
When it comes to heart disease, biomarkers in your blood may help assess your risk for a major cardiovascular event. One recent study found women with high levels of LDL cholesterol, Lp(a) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were about three times more likely to have a heart attack and almost four times more likely to have a stroke.
Biomarker bottom line
Biomarker testing is typically recommended for people at-risk for or diagnosed with health conditions such as cancer. But testing may not be recommended for everyone or covered by insurance. As always, talk to your healthcare provider about biomarker testing and whether it’s an option for you.
