A recent review analyzed the current state of molecular profiling in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and the future prospects of this field, highlighting the transition from broad panel testing of multiple genes in tumor biopsies to less invasive liquid biopsy assays. Researchers of this review emphasize the growing number of actionable biomarkers and the development of drugs targeting these biomarkers, offering patients improved treatment options, enhanced quality of life, and increased survival rates compared with standard therapy.

The researchers concluded that analytical methods using tumor tissue and blood are continuously advancing, and machine learning is also playing a role in enhancing biomarker technology, promising more effective strategies to combat GI cancers.

Reference: Mukherji R, Yin C, Hameed R, et al. The current state of molecular profiling in gastrointestinal malignancies. Biol Direct. 2022;17(1):15. doi: 10.1186/s13062-022-00322-0.