Emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis: challenges, innovations, and clinical perspectives
Abstract Early detection and accurate cancer diagnosis are crucial for improving patient outcomes and survival rates. This review presents a comprehensive and updated synthesis of emerging biomarkers, essential for providing non-invasive, efficient, and reliable methods to identify cancer in its ear...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Medical Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-03003-6 |
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| author | Sameen Zafar Amna Hafeez Hania Shah Iqra Mutiullah Arslan Ali Khushbukhat Khan Gabriela Figueroa-González Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados Sheila I. Peña-Corona Lashyn N. Kiyekbayeva Monica Butnariu Cristina-Elena Tota Angela Caunii Dietrich Büsselberg Javad Sharifi-Rad Gerardo Leyva-Gómez |
| author_facet | Sameen Zafar Amna Hafeez Hania Shah Iqra Mutiullah Arslan Ali Khushbukhat Khan Gabriela Figueroa-González Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados Sheila I. Peña-Corona Lashyn N. Kiyekbayeva Monica Butnariu Cristina-Elena Tota Angela Caunii Dietrich Büsselberg Javad Sharifi-Rad Gerardo Leyva-Gómez |
| author_sort | Sameen Zafar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Early detection and accurate cancer diagnosis are crucial for improving patient outcomes and survival rates. This review presents a comprehensive and updated synthesis of emerging biomarkers, essential for providing non-invasive, efficient, and reliable methods to identify cancer in its early stages. An extensive literature review focuses on recent studies and advancements in both traditional and emerging biomarkers, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), exosomes, liquid biopsies, microRNAs (miRNAs), and immunotherapy biomarkers, which show promising potential for early cancer detection. Liquid biopsies, nanobiosensors, artificial intelligence, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) are transforming biomarker discovery and application. Key challenges include low concentration and fragmentation, as well as clearance of ctDNA, the complexity of exosome isolation, inter-patient variability in miRNA expression, and the absence of clinical standardization. We also highlight the translational barriers in low-resource settings and suggest strategies for future implementation. We also underscore the limited diagnostic accessibility in low-resource settings, emphasizing the importance of equity in future applications. Future research should prioritize overcoming current challenges, promoting multidisciplinary collaboration, and creating standardized protocols to enhance the clinical utility of this approach. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a8e0712fbe104d62837434d2a56b44c3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2047-783X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Medical Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-a8e0712fbe104d62837434d2a56b44c32025-08-20T04:03:17ZengBMCEuropean Journal of Medical Research2047-783X2025-08-0130113410.1186/s40001-025-03003-6Emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis: challenges, innovations, and clinical perspectivesSameen Zafar0Amna Hafeez1Hania Shah2Iqra Mutiullah3Arslan Ali4Khushbukhat Khan5Gabriela Figueroa-González6Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández7Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados8Sheila I. Peña-Corona9Lashyn N. Kiyekbayeva10Monica Butnariu11Cristina-Elena Tota12Angela Caunii13Dietrich Büsselberg14Javad Sharifi-Rad15Gerardo Leyva-Gómez16National University of Sciences and TechnologyNational University of Sciences and TechnologyNational University of Sciences and TechnologyNational University of Sciences and TechnologyNational University of Sciences and TechnologyCancer Clinical Research Unit, Trials360 CROLaboratorio de Farmacogenética, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MexicoLaboratorio de Farmacogenética, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MexicoColegio de Ciencias y Humanidades, Plantel Cuautepec, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de MéxicoDepartamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoDepartment of Pharmaceutical Technology, Kazakhstan Pharmaceutical School, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical UniversityUniversity of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” From TimisoaraUniversity of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” From Timisoara“Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy TimisoaraWeill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar FoundationUniversidad Espíritu SantoDepartamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoAbstract Early detection and accurate cancer diagnosis are crucial for improving patient outcomes and survival rates. This review presents a comprehensive and updated synthesis of emerging biomarkers, essential for providing non-invasive, efficient, and reliable methods to identify cancer in its early stages. An extensive literature review focuses on recent studies and advancements in both traditional and emerging biomarkers, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), exosomes, liquid biopsies, microRNAs (miRNAs), and immunotherapy biomarkers, which show promising potential for early cancer detection. Liquid biopsies, nanobiosensors, artificial intelligence, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) are transforming biomarker discovery and application. Key challenges include low concentration and fragmentation, as well as clearance of ctDNA, the complexity of exosome isolation, inter-patient variability in miRNA expression, and the absence of clinical standardization. We also highlight the translational barriers in low-resource settings and suggest strategies for future implementation. We also underscore the limited diagnostic accessibility in low-resource settings, emphasizing the importance of equity in future applications. Future research should prioritize overcoming current challenges, promoting multidisciplinary collaboration, and creating standardized protocols to enhance the clinical utility of this approach.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-03003-6BiomarkerCancerDiagnosisExosomesExpressionImmunotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Sameen Zafar Amna Hafeez Hania Shah Iqra Mutiullah Arslan Ali Khushbukhat Khan Gabriela Figueroa-González Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados Sheila I. Peña-Corona Lashyn N. Kiyekbayeva Monica Butnariu Cristina-Elena Tota Angela Caunii Dietrich Büsselberg Javad Sharifi-Rad Gerardo Leyva-Gómez Emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis: challenges, innovations, and clinical perspectives European Journal of Medical Research Biomarker Cancer Diagnosis Exosomes Expression Immunotherapy |
| title | Emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis: challenges, innovations, and clinical perspectives |
| title_full | Emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis: challenges, innovations, and clinical perspectives |
| title_fullStr | Emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis: challenges, innovations, and clinical perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis: challenges, innovations, and clinical perspectives |
| title_short | Emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis: challenges, innovations, and clinical perspectives |
| title_sort | emerging biomarkers for early cancer detection and diagnosis challenges innovations and clinical perspectives |
| topic | Biomarker Cancer Diagnosis Exosomes Expression Immunotherapy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-025-03003-6 |
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