Cancer is the second cause of mortality worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases. Increased prevalence of cancer but also the fact that, most often, the diagnosis is established at a moment when therapeutic resources are already limited, constituted the premise for researching and developing indicators of disease or evolution. With the present article we aim to perform a brief review of the biomarkers currently in use in clinical practice for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of neoplasms, as well as those that are under evaluation.