Thanks to their specificity and stability in the sera, autoantibodies (AAbs) against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are very attractive biomarkers for the development of less invasive serological tests for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. Heat shock proteins (HSP) belong to TAAs and they are over-expressed in various human cancers. Elevated HSP can stimulate the immune system to produce anti-HSP antibodies. So far, AAbs against HSP have been identified in the circulation of various cancer patients. Here we will review current literature on the use of anti-HSP antibodies for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The challenges as well as future directions of AAbs identification in oncology are also discussed.
Keywords: Heat shock proteins; autoantibodies; cancer; diagnosis; prognosis.