Review Maps How Cancer Biomarkers Are Reshaping Early Detection and Treatment
NEWS RELEASE: May 22, 2026
The article by Md Nematullah is published in Current Cell Science (In Press, available online)
The review, "Role of Cancer Biomarkers Trend in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapeutics: A Review," was authored by Anukrati Agnihotri, Najish Parveen, Hasmatullah, and Md Nematullah.
A new review in Current Cell Science brings together the science behind BRCA1, PSA, KRAS, and other biomarkers now used to detect cancer earlier and track how well the treatment is working. Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and part of what makes it so difficult to manage is its sheer diversity — more than 100 distinct types can arise, depending on which tissue or organ is affected. A new review, published ahead-of-print in Current Cell Science , takes stock of one of the most important tools researchers and clinicians now rely on to make sense of this complexity: cancer biomarkers.
What Is a Cancer Biomarker, Exactly?
In simple terms, a biomarker is a measurable biological signal — a protein, a piece of genetic material, an antibody, or another molecule — whose presence, absence, or level in the body can say something meaningful about a disease. In cancer, biomarkers can flag the presence of a tumor, help identify the specific type of cancer someone has, and even track how well a treatment is working over time.
The review organizes these biomarkers along several useful lines. They can be grouped by their molecular type, such as proteins (including enzymes and receptors), nucleic acids like microRNAs, antibodies, and peptides. They can also be grouped by the cancer they are associated with, for example, BRCA1 for breast and ovarian cancer, KRAS for colorectal cancer, CA125 for ovarian cancer, AFP and PIVKA-II for liver cancer, and PSA for prostate cancer. A third way to categorize biomarkers is according to the methods by which they are detected, including liquid biopsy, imaging, or biosensor-based platforms such as aptasensors and immunosensors. Together, these categories provide researchers and clinicians with a structured framework for thinking about how biomarkers support diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of treatment response.
Familiar Names, Different Roles
Some of the biomarkers covered in the review will be recognizable even outside specialist circles. BRCA1, widely known for its link to inherited breast and ovarian cancer risk, is one example the authors highlight. PSA (prostate-specific antigen) is described as a commonly used screening tool for prostate cancer. KRAS is discussed as a prognostic marker in colorectal cancer, while HER2 overexpression is tied to both gastric and breast cancers. Each of these markers plays a different role in the patient journey, from estimating risk before disease develops to helping guide treatment decisions once a diagnosis is made.
How Biomarkers Are Found and Measured
The review also examines the laboratory methods that enable biomarker discovery. These include high-throughput sequencing, proteomic techniques such as mass spectrometry, LC-MS/MS, and MALDI-MS, and gene expression arrays — approaches that allow researchers to compare biological samples and quickly pinpoint molecules that differ between healthy and cancerous tissue. On the detection side, biosensors are described as a particularly active area of development. Depending on the biological component they use to recognize their target — proteins, DNA, enzymes, or aptamers — biosensors are classified as immunosensors, aptasensors, enzymatic biosensors, or nucleic acid biosensors, each suited to detecting particular types of biomarkers.
Why This Overview Matters
Rather than presenting new experimental data, this review's contribution is synthesis: bringing together a fast-moving, fragmented field into a single, organized picture of how biomarkers are classified, discovered, and applied across different cancer types and detection technologies. For clinicians and researchers, that kind of consolidated overview can be a practical starting point when evaluating which biomarkers and detection platforms are most relevant to a particular diagnostic or research question, particularly as biosensor-based detection methods continue to evolve.
About the Corresponding Author
Md Nematullah is an Assistant Professor in Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, at Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Article title: Role of Cancer Biomarkers Trend in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapeutics:
Read the article here: https://bit.ly/457Gybt
Current Cell Science
10.2174/0127726215420088260513053923
Review Maps How Cancer Biomarkers Are Reshaping Early Detection and Treatment