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Circulating Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Cancer

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 1428

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Laboratório de Análises Clínicas, Centro Universitário FMABC, Santo André 09060-870, Brazil
Interests: liquid biopsy; breast cancer; neoplasia
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Cancer is a disease with a high global impact and requires a broad approach for a conclusive and assertive diagnosis. Furthermore, cancer is an extremely challenging, multifactorial disease and, depending on the site and time of presentation, can be serious and fatal. Its mechanism of onset, as well as tumorigenesis, is a silent process that occurs beyond genetic mechanisms and involves a series of cellular events that can provide clues for its possible detection. Thus, in-depth study of detectable biomarkers in the development of cancer can be an important factor in survival and the maintenance of the patient's quality of life. In addition, biomarkers have the ability to classify individuals with the disease even before any sign of metastasis and impairment of general health is observed. Therefore, studying and expanding the application of circulating biomarkers in cancer is necessary. There is a lack of clinical studies and well-described and controlled trials that can identify possible circulating biomarkers in individuals with cancer. Depending on the overall goal, biomarkers can mainly be used to perform diagnosis and prognosis but can also be used for other applications. It is also necessary to develop laboratory methods that can be understood and applied in the clinic. Therefore, we invite authors to submit articles with unpublished results, reviews, and clinical and preclinical studies with the aim of addressing biomarkers that circulate in different cancers.

Dr. Fernando Luiz Affonso Fonseca
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • biomarkers
  • circulating 
  • lab methods
  • diagnosis
  • screening

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3701 KB  
Article
Lipid Biomarkers in Glioma: Unveiling Molecular Heterogeneity Through Tissue and Plasma Profiling
by Khairunnisa Abdul Rashid, Norlisah Ramli, Kamariah Ibrahim, Vairavan Narayanan and Jeannie Hsiu Ding Wong
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(19), 9820; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199820 - 9 Oct 2025
Viewed by 383
Abstract
Gliomas are aggressive brain tumours with diverse histological and molecular features, complicating accurate diagnosis and treatment. Dysregulated lipid metabolism contributes to glioma progression, and analysing lipid profiles in plasma and tissue may enhance diagnostic and prognostic accuracy. This study investigated lipid dysregulation to [...] Read more.
Gliomas are aggressive brain tumours with diverse histological and molecular features, complicating accurate diagnosis and treatment. Dysregulated lipid metabolism contributes to glioma progression, and analysing lipid profiles in plasma and tissue may enhance diagnostic and prognostic accuracy. This study investigated lipid dysregulation to identify key lipid signatures that distinguish glioma from other brain diseases and examined the associations between lipid biomarkers in glioma tissue and plasma. Biospecimens from 11 controls and 72 glioma patients of varying grades underwent lipidomic profiling using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified differentially abundant lipids, and correlation analysis evaluated the associations between tissue and plasma biomarkers. Lipidomic analysis revealed distinct lipid profiles in the tissues and plasma of glioma patients compared to those of controls. Prominent lipid metabolites in glioma tissues included LPC 21:3 (AUC = 0.925), DG 43:11 (AUC = 0.906), and PC 33:1 (AUC = 0.892), which served as effective biomarkers. Conversely, in plasma, lipid metabolites such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE 21:3, AUC = 0.862), ceramide-1-phosphate (CerP 26:1, AUC = 0.861), and sphingomyelin (SM 24:3, AUC = 0.858) were identified as the most promising lipid biomarkers. Significant positive and negative correlations were observed between the tissue and plasma lipid biomarkers of glioma patients. Lipidomic profiling revealed aberrant lipid classes and pathways in glioma tissues and plasma, enhancing understanding of glioma heterogeneity and potential clinical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circulating Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Cancer)
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10 pages, 258 KB  
Article
Expression Profile of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α in Breast Tumors
by Harryson W. G. dos Santos, Beatriz C. Bramante, Matheus M. Perez, Glaucia L. da Veiga, Beatriz da C. A. Alves and Fernando L. A. Fonseca
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(16), 7841; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26167841 - 14 Aug 2025
Viewed by 930
Abstract
Chronic inflammation is associated with several neoplasms. Many studies tried to evaluate the correlation between cytokines and the pathogenesis of various cancer types and IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α are often target of these analyses. The aim of the present [...] Read more.
Chronic inflammation is associated with several neoplasms. Many studies tried to evaluate the correlation between cytokines and the pathogenesis of various cancer types and IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α are often target of these analyses. The aim of the present study was to analyze cytokines mRNA expression in breast cancer samples to better understand pathogenesis and clinical aspects. Patients were selected from the oncology service of Centro Universitário FMABC; tumor RNA was obtained from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsies of breast cancer tissue. Gene expression was assessed by qPCR. Samples from 95 patients were obtained, presenting tumor stages varying from 0 to IIIB, with most of them in stage IIIA (33.68%). IL-2 and TNF-α expression presented a significant correlation with tumor stage. There was no correlation of cytokines expression with Ki-67 and prognostic factors. The study illustrated the pleiotropic role of IL-2, with no expression in early stages of cancer, varying according to “stage worsening”. Regarding progesterone receptor (PR), correlation with TNF-α and IL-2 can reinforce the role of PR as an indicator of positive prognosis. The findings of this investigation suggest IL-2 and TNF-α could be evaluated in a larger study to better understanding pathogenesis and prognosis for this patient profile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circulating Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Cancer)
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