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New tumor markers: modern biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis
What are tumor markers and why are they needed?
Tumor markers — are specific substances (proteins, enzymes, genes, DNA fragments) that may appear in the blood, urine, or other biological fluids in response to tumor growth. Some of them are produced by the tumor cells themselves, others are produced as the body's response to the presence of a tumor.
Traditionally, the most well-known markers are PSA (prostate cancer), CA-125 (ovarian cancer), CEA (colorectal cancer). However, in recent years, science has been new generations of tumor markers, which are more sensitive, specific and allow for the diagnosis of cancer in the early stages.
What is the difference between new tumor markers?
Unlike the classic ones, new tumor markers are often molecular in nature are gene fragments, microRNAs, mutations, or protein complexes that more accurately indicate the type of tumor, stage of the disease, and even the prognosis for treatment.
They allow:
detect cancer before symptoms appear
distinguish between malignant and benign tumors
assess the risk of relapse
individualize therapy (personalized oncology)
Examples of new tumor markers
| Marker name | What does it reveal? | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) | Tumor DNA fragments in the blood | Detects mutations, suitable for early detection and monitoring |
| miRNA (microRNA) | Specific microRNAs of different cancer types | Good sensitivity and stability in plasma |
| B7-H3, B7-H4 | Breast, lung, kidney cancer | Immunomodulatory molecules, new targets for therapy |
| Thymidine Kinase 1 (TK1) | Tumor cell activity | Well suited for monitoring chemotherapy |
| HE4 (together with CA-125) | Ovarian cancer | Higher accuracy when combined with other markers |
| M2-PK (pyruvate kinase) | Colorectal cancer | Effective in fecal screening |
| Autoantibodies (ANA, p53) | Early immune responses | Promising for “pre-clinical” tests” |
How are new tumor markers used?
Early detection: For example, ctDNA can detect a tumor before an MRI or ultrasound can see it.
Monitoring after surgery or chemotherapy: The appearance of ctDNA may indicate micrometastases or recurrence.
Predicting response to treatment: TK1 levels or changes in microRNAs help assess whether the chosen therapy is working.
Screening of risk groups: In patients with a hereditary predisposition, certain biomarkers can be monitored periodically.
Limitations and prospects
Despite the encouraging results, most new tumor markers do not yet have the status of "gold standard"«. They are used mainly in research centers or in experimental therapy settings. However, they are already entering clinical practice in leading medical institutions in the EU and the USA (in particular, with the support of programs FDA Breakthrough Devices).
Also under development multigene panels — tests that detect dozens of different biomarkers in a single sample, allowing for coverage of several types of cancer simultaneously (for example, Galleri by GRAIL).
References to sources
WHO – Early cancer diagnosis
Mayo Clinic – Emerging tumor markers in oncology
Nature Reviews Cancer – The evolving role of liquid biopsy
Oncology ceases to be a sentence precisely thanks to such technologies. It is important to remember: the earlier, the better the chances of recovery. And science today gives us powerful tools for this.
