AI-assisted liquid biopsies hold promise for early cancer detection

AI-assisted liquid biopsies hold promise for early cancer detection

The prospect of diagnosing cancer using painless methods – such as a simple AI-powered blood or urine test that detects tiny particles called exosomes – is becoming increasingly realistic. Scientists believe that this approach could one day enable rapid and straightforward identification of cancer biomarkers.

This groundbreaking insight follows an extensive narrative review of the literature and provides a comprehensive and interpretive summary and analysis of published research on this topic.

The results of the review, led by Mohammad Harb Semreen, professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Sharjah, were published in the international journalClinica Chimica Acta. It evaluated results from over 100 studies and summarized four key contexts that provided interpretation, analysis and expert insight.

The review, which summarized research published between 2018 and 2025, focuses on exosomes - tiny sacs released by almost every cell in the body that act as couriers, carrying molecular messages from one cell to another. In cancer, these microscopic messengers change dramatically: They become loaded with proteins, genetic material, lipids and metabolites that reflect what is happening in the tumor.

“By deciphering the molecular ‘cargo’ of these exosomes through a multi-omics approach – combining proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and lipidomics – we can create a detailed map of how cancers communicate, grow and evade treatment,” explained Prof. Semreen. “This gives researchers a new opportunity to discover precise, reliable biomarkers that can detect cancer earlier, predict how aggressive it might become, and monitor how patients respond to therapy.”

Exosomes are tiny particles released by human cells that circulate freely in body fluids. Because they carry molecular signatures of cancer cells, a routine blood or urine test could one day provide an early, non-invasive method for detecting cancer.

Current advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are accelerating this progress by scanning massive amounts of molecular data sets to reveal patterns invisible to the human eye, contributing to faster and more precise identification of reliable cancer biomarkers.

Prof. Semreen describes this approach as “powerful” because “exosomes can be obtained from simple body fluids such as blood or urine, meaning that cancer could one day be detected through a non-invasive liquid biopsy rather than painful tissue samples.”

The authors emphasize that far from being passive bystanders, exosomes influence tumor spread, immune evasion and drug resistance, making them both messengers and manipulators in the cancer process.

The article highlights how combining multi-omics data with artificial intelligence can unravel the enormous complexity of these vesicles to identify clinically meaningful signals. This integration brings scientists closer to personalized and predictive cancer diagnostics – where a routine blood test could reveal the earliest signs of disease and guide treatment decisions with unprecedented precision.

As cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide, the study highlights the potential of AI-powered blood or urine tests to quickly and easily detect the disease - before symptoms appear and cancer cells spread - enabling early intervention and improving treatment outcomes.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there were about 20 million new cancer cases and almost 10 million deaths in 2022. Around 53.5 million people lived within five years of a cancer diagnosis. Statistically, around one in five people will develop cancer in their lifetime, while around one in nine men and one in 12 women will die from the disease.

Exosomes transmit the whispers of cancer cells - we learn to listen. By decoding exosomes, we can detect cancer earlier and treat it more intelligently.

Our goal is to turn a simple blood test into a powerful diagnostic tool. These nanomessengers give us a real-time view of what is happening inside tumors. What once required surgery can soon be done with a drop of blood.”

Fatima Maher Al-Daffaie, lead author of the study, PhD candidate in Drug Design and Research, University of Sharjah College of Pharmacy

When asked about the practical implications of the research, Prof Semreen said the findings could change the way cancer is detected and treated in the future. “The most immediate application is the development of liquid biopsies – simple blood or urine tests that analyze exosomes to detect early-stage cancer, monitor response to treatment and even predict relapse before symptoms appear.”

He added: "Because exosomes carry the same molecular fingerprints as their parent tumor cells, they provide a real-time, non-invasive snapshot of what's happening inside the body. This could allow doctors to move from traditional tissue biopsies to safer, faster and more repeatable tests that track diseases over time."

A second promising approach lies in the use of exosomes as natural drug delivery vehicles. "These nanoscale vesicles can be engineered to deliver cancer drugs, RNA molecules or even gene editing tools directly to tumor cells. Their natural compatibility with the human body means they can deliver treatments exactly where they are needed, reducing side effects and increasing effectiveness."

Ahmad Abuhelwa, Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometry at the University of Sharjah and co-author, noted:
"Exosomes provide a vivid snapshot of cancer behavior. By analyzing their molecular signatures, we can personalize treatment and monitor how each patient's tumor develops over time."

He continued: "What makes this research so exciting is its potential to revolutionize diagnostics. By integrating multi-omics data and artificial intelligence, we can interpret the enormous complexity of cancer biology in a way that is clinically actionable. This is a step towards making precision oncology not just a concept, but a reality in routine medical care."

When asked whether the research had attracted interest from industry or healthcare institutions, the authors said there had been no formal collaborations yet, although the field was attracting significant attention worldwide. Exosome-based diagnostics and liquid biopsy technologies are among the fastest-growing areas of precision medicine, attracting major investments from biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

“As our work continues to bridge scientific research and clinical applications, we expect new partnerships to form – particularly with companies and research institutes interested in developing next-generation cancer diagnostics and personalized monitoring tools,” said Prof. Semreen.

Sources: