Organ-specific cancer biomarker identification: a ten-year single-center study in southern China

Cancer biomarker discovery is essential for early detection and monitoring, yet there is a lack of comprehensive studies examining organ-specific biomarkers across various cancer types. In this study, we analyzed clinical data from 59,184 cancer patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2023, focusing on 11 major cancer systems. We used propensity score matching with 55,010 healthy controls to create balanced comparison groups. Serum biomarker profiles were assessed through principal component analysis, differential expression analysis, and ROC curve analysis. Our findings revealed organ-specific biomarker patterns, such as decreased CA724, ferritin, and β2-microglobulin in thoracic cancer, reduced serum phosphorus in neurological cancer, and elevated cystatin C and creatinine in urinary system cancer. Further analysis across 22 cancer types uncovered additional biomarkers, including elevated ALT in hepatobiliary cancer, altered coagulation factors in laryngeal cancer, increased monocytes in pancreatic cancer, and reduced complement C3 in intestinal cancer. These results provide valuable insights into the unique biomarker signatures for different cancers, contributing to the potential development of more targeted and efficient screening methods.