Marker or a Biomarker? - What is the difference? (Jul/28/2010 )

Hello everybody,

I have a very basic question for all of you. I know that a Biomarker is the lab measurement of any biochemical whose activity correlates with the progression of a disease. I have come across the terminology "Marker" in various papers. With this I don't mean DNA or genetic markers. Could anyone pls explain to me me the difference between a Marker and a Biomarker at protein level?

Thanks in advance.

Essentially there is no difference that I am aware of. Biomarker is one of the recent terminologies that people have adopted as it sounds more fancy, and is hence more marketable to lay people as something important.

Yes, I would agree.

You could probably say that all biomarkers are markers, but not all markers are biomarkers

Yay, Venn diagrams

Lapsang on Thu Jul 29 11:12:22 2010 said:

And y would you say that? On what basis? Could you pls explain?

Bela on Fri Jul 30 07:13:57 2010 said:

Marker can be non-bio-material such as age, clinical signs.

I suppose that the term "biomarker" is to be seen in the context of complex biological systems, diagnostic or monitoring of therapy; the term "marker" could mean anything and should be clear from the context