Pre-processing mass spectrometry data

Mass spectrometry is being applied to discover disease-related proteomic patterns in complex mixtures of proteins derived from tissue samples or from easily obtained biological fluids such as serum, urine, or nipple aspirate fluid (Paweletz et al., 2001); Wellmann et al., 2002; (Petricoin et al., 2002); (Adam et al., 2002), (2003); (Zhukov et al., 2003); (Schaub et al., 2004). Potentially, we can use these proteomic patterns for early diagnosis, to predict prognosis, to monitor disease progression or response to treatment, or even to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from particular treatments.