Clinical value of emerging peripheral blood protein biomarkers in prostate cancer (Review)

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains among the most common genitourinary tumors in elderly men, as PCa diagnosis and treatment remain major challenges. Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive method that causes minor harm to patients with cancer. Peripheral blood protein biomarkers provide real-time PCa information and are easily accessible. The present review summarizes recent progress in identifying candidate peripheral blood protein biomarkers of PCa, including pentraxin-3, soluble E-cadherin, serum T-cell immunoglobulin, serum B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator, myeloid differentiation factor-2, pleiotrophin, spondin 2, filamin A, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, laminin subunit β-1, Golgi membrane protein 1, vitamin D-binding protein, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9, activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule and trophoblastic cell-surface antigen. Notably, the present review summarizes and discusses the clinical value of these proteins in PCa prediction, diagnosis, prognosis and drug resistance monitoring. These emerging peripheral blood protein biomarkers are promising for improving PCa stratification and management.