The future of cancer detection could be just a blood test away, say scientists

The prospect of diagnosing cancer through painless methods—such as a simple AI-assisted blood or urine test that detects tiny particles known as exosomes—is becoming increasingly realistic. Scientists predict that this approach could one day enable rapid and straightforward identification of cancer biomarkers.

This breakthrough insight follows an extensive narrative review of the literature, providing a comprehensive and interpretative summary and analysis of published research on the topic.

The findings of the review, led by Mohammad Harb Semreen, University of Sharjah’s Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, were published in the international journal Clinica Chimica Acta. It evaluated findings from over 100 studies and synthesized four major associations, offering interpretation, analysis, and expert insights.

The review, which pooled research published between 2018 and 2025, focuses on exosomes—tiny bubbles released by nearly 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 mirror what is happening inside the tumor.

“By decoding the molecular ‘cargo’ of these exosomes through a multi-omics approach—combining proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics—we can build a detailed map of how cancers communicate, grow, and evade treatment,” explained Prof. Semreen. “This gives researchers a new way 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 minute particles released by human cells that freely circulate in body fluids. Because they carry molecular signatures of cancerous cells, a routine blood or urine test may one day offer an early, non-invasive method for detecting cancer.

The current advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are accelerating this progress by scanning vast amounts of molecular datasets to uncover patterns invisible to the human eye, helping achieve faster and more precise identification of reliable cancer biomarkers.

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

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

The paper 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.

With cancer remaining one of the leading causes of death worldwide, the review underscores the potential of AI-assisted blood or urine tests to detect the disease quickly and easily—before symptoms appear and cancerous cells spread—enabling early intervention and improving treatment outcomes.

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

The study’s lead author Fatima Maher Al-Daffaie, a PhD candidate in drug design and discovery at the University of Sharjah’s College of Pharmacy, added,  “Exosomes carry the whispers of cancer cells—we’re learning how to listen. By decoding exosomes, we can catch cancer earlier and treat it more intelligently.

“Our aim is to turn a simple blood test into a powerful diagnostic tool. These nano-messengers give us a real-time view of what’s happening inside tumors. What once required surgery may soon be done with a drop of blood.”

Asked about the practical implications of the research, Prof. Semreen said the findings could reshape how 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 cancer at its earliest stages, monitor treatment response, 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 physicians to move away from traditional tissue biopsies toward safer, faster, and more repeatable tests that track disease over time.”

A second promising frontier lies in using exosomes as natural drug delivery vehicles. “These nanoscale vesicles can be engineered to transport anti-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 precisely where needed, reducing side effects and enhancing efficacy.”

Ahmad Abuhelwa, University of Sharjah’s Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics and a co-author, noted:

“Exosomes offer a living snapshot of cancer’s behavior. By analyzing their molecular signatures, we can personalize treatment and monitor how each patient’s tumor evolves 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 vast complexity of cancer biology in a way that is clinically actionable. This is a step toward 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 formal collaborations have not yet been established, though the field is drawing significant global attention. Exosome-based diagnostics and liquid biopsy technologies are among the fastest-growing fields in precision medicine, attracting major investment from biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

“As our work continues to bridge discovery science with 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.