The near completion of human genome sequencing and the introduction of mass spectrometry combined with advanced bioinformatics for
protein identification have led to the emergence of proteomics as a powerful tool for characterizing new markers and therapeutic targets.
Breast cancer proteomics has already identified
proteins of potential clinical interest, such as the
molecular chaperone 14-3-3 sigma and the
heat shock protein HSP90, and technological innovations such as large scale and high throughput analysis are now driving the field. Methods in functional proteomics have also been developed to study the intracellular signaling pathways that underlie the development of
breast cancer cells. As illustrated by
fibroblast growth factor-2 and the H19 noncoding oncogenic
mRNA, proteomics is a pertinent approach to identify signaling
proteins and to decipher the complex signaling circuitry involved in
tumor growth and
metastasis. Together with genomics, proteomics is now providing a way to define molecular processes involved in breast
carcinogenesis and to identify new therapeutic targets. The next challenge will be the introduction of proteomics as a tool for the clinic, for the establishment of diagnosis, prognosis, and the monitoring of treatment; however, this ambitious goal still requires further technological progress in the field.