According to a recent CBS report, the growing field of biomarker testing reached 4.8 billion dollars in 2015. One of the most powerful diagnostic tools available to physicians today, biomarker testing analyzes blood and other human samples to measure and quantify certain substances which provide solid data on the presence or severity of an illness or risk for developing a serious ailment. Many people are familiar with the concept of measuring body temperature to determine the presence of a fever, a classic example of a biomarker test.
SmartChoiceMD Labs now routinely offer biomarker testing as part of general wellness programs or when ordered by doctors in order to determine the presence or severity of an ailment. The first biomarker tests made accessible for the general public were for cholesterol after medical research determined that lipoprotein levels were clear indicators of an increased risk or the presence of cardiovascular disease. Today, biomarker tests can be used to identify problems with blood clotting, kidney and liver function, insulin production and pancreatic health, certain types of cancer and risk factors associated with atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary embolisms and strokes, issues related to pregnancy and conception, and certain genetic abnormalities.
Another useful aspect of biomarker testing is monitoring and quantifying the effectiveness of medications. Patients who take blood thinners, cholesterol reducing medications and other drugs can undergo biomarker testing so that their physicians can accurately assess the amount of medication in their system as well as any changes that have been produced in order to adjust dosages accordingly. Some biomarkers are termed predictive biomarkers because doctors use these results to help assess the effectiveness of a specific therapy while prognostic markers show how well a given drug is working to treat an ailment.
Depending on the need of the patient, biomarker testing can include: blood counts (including the various components of the blood), insulin levels and blood sugar (useful for diagnosing the presence of or risk for developing diabetes), lipoproteins (which include all the different types of cholesterol), antibodies (which can reveal organ damage and/or inflammation), rheumatoid factors (for diagnosing the presence of or severity of arthritis), thyroid levels, enzyme levels (which show how well various organs are functioning), cancer markers, and genetic abnormalities.
One of the latest developments in the field of biomarker testing is understanding and calibrating certain metabolic functions. Often referred to as metabolomics, certain tests can be performed to provide a “snapshot” of how well various cellular processes are operating in the body. Metabolomics biomarker testing can reveal not just how well a person’s metabolism is functioning but help provide useful data on tailoring diets and/or medication in order to promote a healthy weight and treat ailments or take pro-active steps to reduce the risk of developing serious illnesses.
CBS report: http://www.cbs19.tv/story/31656159/kalorama-cancer-biomarker-testing-market-grows-to-48-billion