The Utility of Lipidomic Analysis in Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis—A Systematic Review of Recent Literature

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most prevalent and lethal malignancies. Lipidomic investigations have revealed numerous disruptions in lipid profiles across various cancers. Studies on CRC exhibit potential for identifying novel diagnostic or prognostic indicators through lipidomic signatures. This review examines recent literature regarding lipidomic markers for CRC. PubMed database was searched for eligible articles concerning lipidomic biomarkers of CRC. After selection, 36 articles were included in the review. Several studies endeavor to establish sets of lipid biomarkers that demonstrate promising potential to diagnose CRC based on blood samples. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, ceramides, and triacylglycerols (TAGs) appear to offer the highest diagnostic accuracy. In tissues, lysophospholipids, ceramides, and TAGs were among the most altered lipids, while unsaturated fatty acids also emerged as potential biomarkers. In-depth analysis requires both cell culture and animal studies. CRC involves multiple lipid metabolism alterations. Although numerous lipid species have been suggested as potential diagnostic markers, the establishment of standardized methods and the conduct of large-scale studies are necessary to facilitate their clinical application.