Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of death worldwide, and early-onset cases in people under 50 have risen sharply in Western countries. Although early detection can often cure the disease, common blood markers like CEA are not specific enough for reliable screening.
In a recent study, researchers tested a new approach called Thermal Liquid Biopsy (TLB), which analyzes how blood proteins react to heat and creates a unique “thermogram.” They studied 683 patients and developed three models: one using clinical data (age and CEA), one using thermogram data alone, and a hybrid model combining both. The hybrid model performed best, improving cancer detection accuracy and increasing sensitivity from about 52% to over 70%, especially for stage III cancer. It also reduced false positives linked to smoking and alcohol use, which can raise CEA levels.
Further protein analysis identified CRP as a marker of inflammation and poor prognosis, and FGL1 as a potential new biomarker linked to worse survival and possible immune resistance. Overall, combining TLB with clinical data may provide a noninvasive and cost-effective way to improve CRC screening, especially in real-world patients with symptoms.