Mol Biomed. 2025 Mar 20;6(1):18. doi: 10.1186/s43556-025-00257-8.

ABSTRACT

Cancer ranks among the most lethal diseases worldwide. Tissue biopsy is currently the primary method for the diagnosis and biological analysis of various solid tumors. However, this method has some disadvantages related to insufficient tissue specimen collection and intratumoral heterogeneity. Liquid biopsy is a noninvasive approach for identifying cancer-related biomarkers in peripheral blood, which allows for repetitive sampling across multiple time points. In the field of liquid biopsy, representative biomarkers include circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and exosomes. Many studies have evaluated the prognostic and predictive roles of CTCs and ctDNA in various solid tumors. Although these studies have limitations, the results of most studies appear to consistently demonstrate the correlations of high CTC counts and ctDNA mutations with lower survival rates in cancer patients. Similarly, a reduction in CTC counts throughout therapy may be a potential prognostic indicator related to treatment response in advanced cancer patients. Moreover, the biochemical characteristics of CTCs and ctDNA can provide information about tumor biology as well as resistance mechanisms against targeted therapy. This review discusses the current clinical applications of liquid biopsy in cancer patients, emphasizing its possible utility in outcome prediction and treatment decision-making.

PMID:40108089 | PMC:PMC11923355 | DOI:10.1186/s43556-025-00257-8

Cancer Lett. 2025 Mar 31;613:217502. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2025.217502. Epub 2025 Jan 24.

ABSTRACT

Recent advancements in multi-omics and big-data technologies have facilitated the discovery of numerous cancer prognostic biomarkers and gene signatures. However, their clinical application remains limited due to poor reproducibility and insufficient independent validation. Despite the availability of high-quality datasets, achieving reliable biomarker identification across multiple cohorts continues to be a significant challenge. To address these issues, we developed a comprehensive platform, SurvivalML, designed to support the discovery and validation of prognostic biomarkers and gene signatures using large-scale and harmonized data from 21 cancer types. Through SurvivalML, we identified DCLRE1B as a novel prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma, with experimental confirmation of its role in promoting tumor progression. Additionally, we developed the Chinese glioblastoma prognostic signature (CGPS) and its simplified version, SCGPS, a three-gene model. Both demonstrated superior predictive performance compared to other glioblastoma signatures in our in-house cohort and five independent Chinese datasets. The SCGPS model was further validated in 109 clinical samples using multiplex immunofluorescence, showing strong consistency with the original CGPS model. Overall, SurvivalML provides a robust platform for the identification and validation of prognostic biomarkers and gene signatures, offering a valuable resource for advancing cancer research and clinical application.

PMID:39864538 | DOI:10.1016/j.canlet.2025.217502