Biophysical approaches to cancer diagnostics: Collagen biomarkers in colorectal cancer
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: • Collagen remodeling is a dynamic hallmark of CRC progression, involving altered expression and structural modification of key collagen types (I, III, IV) that correlate with tumor stage, metastasis, and poor patient outcomes. • Proteomic and genomic analyses reveal upregulation of collagen genes (COL1A1, COL3A1, COL4A3/6) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2, MMP9), which contribute to ECM remodeling, promoting tumor invasion and metastasis. • Advanced spectroscopy enables sensitive, label-free detection of collagen alterations, supporting real-time intraoperative tumor margin delineation and personalized treatment strategies. • Collagen biomarkers are not only present in tissue but also detectable as circulating degradation products (e.g., collagen telopeptides) in serum and urine. • Quantitative collagen signatures correlate with critical clinical features including lymph node metastasis, tumor budding, relapse rates, and overall survival, highlighting their prognostic and therapeutic relevance. • The clinical translational potential of collagen-targeted approaches is substantial, offering prospects for improved diagnostic accuracy, personalized therapy monitoring, and enhanced surgical outcomes. Collagen remodeling in the extracellular matrix drives alterations in the physical, mechanical, and optical properties of tissues, representing a fundamental biophysical hallmark of colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. These changes, reflected in variations in collagen composition, molecular orientation, and cross-linking density, transform tissue stiffness, elasticity, and anisotropy, directly influencing cancer cell behavior and mechanotransduction. Understanding these structural and physical transitions requires analytical methods capable of probing the molecular origins of biomechanical alteration in situ . Spectroscopic and optical methodologies provide high-resolution, label-free detection of the vibrational, optical, and mechanical alteration associated with collagen remodeling. These techniques capture the shifts in molecular vibrational modes, nonlinear optical responses, and scattering anisotropy that arise from collagen fibril alignment, structural disorder, and cross-link formation, thereby connecting molecular architecture to measurable macroscale biomechanics. The integration of multimodal spectroscopy and incorporation of machine learning algorithms further enhance diagnostic performance by resolving complex tissue heterogeneity and improving tumor margin detection. Overall, this review demonstrates how spectroscopic techniques can be applied in the biomedical field for cancer detection by analyzing collagen remodeling and structural alterations.
Source: Physics of Life Reviews
Authors: Shimul Biswas, Krishna Kishore Mahato
Institution: Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Language: English
Subfield: Biophysics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,720
Award: G60633303
OpenAlex ID: W7126085280