Protein and Peptide in Cancer Research: From Biomarker to Biotherapeutics

Proteins and peptides play a pivotal role in key pathological processes, including cancer growth, immune evasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Consequently, they are gaining attention as significant biomolecules in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research trends and technological advancements in protein- and peptide-based cancer diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. It covers the clinical application of major diagnostic markers such as PSA, CA125, HER2, and AFP, as well as therapeutic strategies including monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and anticancer peptides. Additionally, it introduces quantitative analysis techniques such as ELISA, mass spectrometry, and CyTOF, as well as advancements in delivery systems based on nanoparticle-peptide complexes. Peptides offer advantages for precision therapy due to their high target specificity and structural modifiability. However, they also have limitations such as stability, enzymatic degradation, and delivery efficiency. Emerging technologies such as synthetic biology, computational design, and omics-integrated analysis are being developed to address these challenges, and rapid advancements in this field are enhancing the potential for clinical application. This review underscores the potential of protein- and peptide-based strategies for precision cancer diagnosis and personalized therapy and proposes future research directions in this field.