Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Recent advances in epitranscriptomics have revealed ribosomal RNA (rRNA) modifications as dynamic biomarkers for cancer detection. This review synthesizes evidence from 22 studies (2018-2025), demonstrating that tissue-specific rRNA modification patterns—termed "epitranscriptomic fingerprints"—enable early cancer diagnosis with >96% accuracy. Unlike conventional methods such as CT imaging and tissue biopsies that often require invasive procedures and lack sensitivity for early-stage tumors, epitranscriptomic profiling offers a minimally invasive alternative with unprecedented precision. Nanopore direct RNA sequencing (DRS) technology allows real-time mapping of chemical modifications (e.g., 2'-O-methylation and pseudouridylation) in native rRNA, identifying hypomodification as a universal cancer signature. Clinical validations show that lung and testicular cancers exhibit distinct fingerprints detectable from only 250 RNA reads within 4 hours, significantly reducing diagnostic time and cost. The integration of this technology with liquid biopsies could revolutionize non-invasive cancer screening, particularly for high-risk populations. Future standardization of epitranscriptomic fingerprint databases may enable global implementation of precision oncology protocols within the next decade.
Source: Theoretical and Natural Science
Author: Qiyao Yang
Institution: University of Washington
Language: English
Topic: RNA modifications and cancer
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4414145566