Clinical validation of peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA methylation markers for accurate early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in Asian patients.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, poses significant challenges in early detection. Improved diagnostic accuracy can drastically influence patient outcomes, emphasizing the need for innovative, non-invasive biomarkers.

Methods: This study utilized a cohort of 402 participants, including healthy controls, chronic hepatitis patients, and HCC patients from Bangladesh, to evaluate DNA methylation signatures in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

A high-throughput test enables specific detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

High-throughput tests for early cancer detection can revolutionize public health and reduce cancer morbidity and mortality. Here we show a DNA methylation signature for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection in liquid biopsies, distinct from normal tissues and blood profiles. We developed a classifier using four CpG sites, validated in TCGA HCC data.