ADVANCES IN EARLY CANCER DIAGNOSIS: NEW IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES AND HIGHLY SENSITIVE BIOMARKERS

Abstract

Early diagnosis of cancer is essential to increase the chances of a cure and improve patients' quality of life. This review article discusses recent advances in imaging technologies and the development of highly sensitive biomarkers, highlighting their importance in the early detection of the disease. New imaging modalities, such as high-resolution computed tomography, functional magnetic resonance imaging and PET-CT, offer greater structural and functional detail of tissues, facilitating the identification of early lesions. At the same time, molecular biomarkers provide a non-invasive approach to detecting alterations associated with cancer at molecular levels, broadening the diagnostic capacity. The integration of these technologies, combined with the use of artificial intelligence, represents a revolution in personalized medicine, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and individualized clinical interventions. Despite the challenges related to clinical validation, costs and infrastructure, the advances presented indicate a promising future for the early detection of cancer, with a significant impact on reducing mortality and improving therapeutic management.