Proteomic profiling in musculoskeletal oncology by MALDI mass spectrometry.

UNLABELLED: Proteomics is the emerging technology that evaluates normal and abnormal protein expression in tissues. Tissue profiling by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) is a proteomic tool that permits the rapid detection of proteins expressed in tissues and serum. To date, tissue profiling has been successfully utilized to detect proteins specific to various cancers, including those of non-small cell lung carcinoma and glioblastoma multiforme. The usefulness of histological analyses to predict soft tissue sarcoma (STS) behavior has plateaued, and a critical need exists to identify other means to objectively predict tumor grade and behavior. We describe tissue profiling as a tool for orthopaedic research, and review recent work utilizing the technology for detecting proteins that differentiate low grade from high grade STS. We used MALDI MS tissue profiling technology to detect differentially expressed proteins in high grade and low grade STS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, prognostic study.