Thermal Liquid Biopsy for Early Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis integrating mass spectrometry proteomic biomarker discovery

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. When detected early, mortality rates can be significantly reduced, as surgical intervention in early stages often leads to curative outcomes. However, current biomarkers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), have limitations in diagnostic accuracy, highlighting the need for improved methodologies. This study included 328 Danish patients with CRC and 355 symptomatic patients with non-organ-specific signs of cancer, but with negative clinical and computed tomography evaluations. Thermal Liquid Biopsy (TLB) thermograms were analyzed to assess partial excess heat capacity of serum solutions relative to a reference buffer solution, as a function of temperature. Here, we demonstrate the potential of combining clinical biomarkers with global thermogram-based information from TLB to enhance early CRC diagnosis. Furthermore, the integration of TLB with proteomic analysis enables the identification of novel biomarkers, offering new insights into CRC prognosis and disease characterization.