Biomarker Discovery in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Summary
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a major global health challenge owing to its aggressive nature and late presentation. Efforts to identify robust biomarkers for early detection, prognostic stratification and treatment monitoring have intensified, harnessing advances in genomics, proteomics and liquid biopsy technologies. Tissue‐based approaches leverage high-throughput sequencing and mass spectrometry to uncover DNA mutations, RNA expression profiles and protein signatures that distinguish malignant from normal oesophageal epithelium. Concurrently, minimally invasive assays detect circulating tumour DNA, tumour-derived exosomes and autoantibodies in blood samples, offering the potential for longitudinal monitoring. Integrative bioinformatics pipelines now combine multi‐omics data to prioritise candidates, while validation in independent patient cohorts ensures clinical relevance. Ultimately, a panel of complementary biomarkers—spanning nucleic acids, proteins and immune markers—promises to improve early diagnosis, predict surgical or chemoradiotherapy outcomes, and guide personalised therapeutic strategies in ESCC.
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Biomarker Discovery in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biomarker discovery in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Biomarker: A biological molecule measured in tissues or fluids that indicates normal or pathological processes or responses to therapy.
Liquid biopsy: A minimally invasive test detecting tumour-derived materials (DNA, cells, vesicles) circulating in blood or other body fluids.
Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA): Fragments of DNA shed by cancer cells into the bloodstream, reflecting tumour genome alterations.
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT): A cellular programme by which epithelial cells acquire migratory and invasive properties, contributing to metastasis.
Immunohistochemistry: A laboratory technique that uses antibodies to detect and visualise specific proteins in tissue sections.
References
- Elafin as a Prognostic Marker in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Pilot Study Using Three-Dimensional Imaging and Genomic Profiling. Cancers (2023).
- HOXC10 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression by targeting FOXA3 and indicates poor survival outcome. Heliyon (2023).
- Preoperative Cyfra21-1 and SCC-Ag serum titers predict survival in patients with stage II esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Journal of Translational Medicine (2012).
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