Serum- and Urine-derived Protein Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review Protocol

Despite the advancement of current treatment, prostate cancer (PCa) remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men globally. Studies have shown that early detection of PCa is crucial for increasing the survival rate of patients. Therefore, this review protocol aims to outline the procedures that will be followed for the systematic review in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The systematic review will assess the potential of serum- and urine-derived proteins as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for PCa. The systematic review protocol is registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (ID: CRD42024534888), in accordance with the Population, Intervention, Control or Comparison Outcomes, and Study Design (PICOS) framework. A comprehensive search will be conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect, to identify relevant studies published in English between January 2014 and December 2024. Only studies that reported the expression levels of PSA and protein biomarkers in biological samples (serum and urine) among PCa patients will be included in this review. Pre-clinical studies using human PCa cell lines and non-human subjects, including animal models, will be excluded. Data extraction and quality assessment will be performed using a standardised form and tools specific to the study design. Protein biomarkers with promising potential will be highlighted, and areas for further research will be identified to validate their clinical utility in enhancing early detection, improving patient outcomes, and advancing personalized treatment strategies in PCa management.