Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most aggressive, heterogenous, and fatal types of human cancer for which screening, and more effective therapeutic drugs are urgently needed. Early-stage detection and treatment greatly improve the 5-year survival rate. In the era of targeted therapies for all types of cancer, a complete metabolomic profile is mandatory before neoadjuvant therapy to assign the correct drugs and check the response to the treatment given. The aim of this study is to discover specific metabolic biomarkers or a sequence of metabolomic indicators that possess precise diagnostic capabilities in predicting the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy. After searching the keywords, a total of 108 articles were identified during a timeframe of 10 years (2013–2023). Within this set, one article was excluded due to the use of non-English language. Six scientific papers were qualified for this investigation after eliminating all duplicates, publications not referring to the subject matter, open access restriction papers, and those not applicable to humans. Biomolecular analysis found a correlation between metabolomic analysis of colorectal cancer samples and poor progression-free survival rates. Biomarkers are instrumental in predicting a patient’s response to specific treatments, guiding the selection of targeted therapies, and indicating resistance to certain drugs.

Introduction: Gastric cancer is the fourth most frequently diagnosed form of cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The aim of this review is to identify individual metabolic biomarkers and their association with accurate diagnostic values, which can predict gastric cancer metastasis. Materials and Methods: After searching the keywords, 83 articles were found over a period of 13 years. One was eliminated because it was not written in English, and two were published outside the selected period. Seven scientific papers were qualified for this investigation after eliminating duplicates, non-related articles, systematic reviews, and restricted access studies. Results: New metabolic biomarkers with predictive value for gastric cancer metastasis and for elucidating metabolic pathways of the metastatic process have been found. The pathogenic processes can be outlined as follows: pro-oxidant capacity, T-cell inactivation, cell cycle arrest, energy production and mitochondrial enzyme impairment, cell viability and pro-apoptotic effect, enhanced degradation of collagen extracellular matrix, migration, invasion, structural protein synthesis, and tumoral angiogenesis. Conclusion: Metabolic biomarkers have been recognized as independent risk factors in the molecular process of gastric cancer metastasis, with good diagnostic and prognostic value.

Background/Objectives: The quality of life is a complex concept that is insufficiently assessed in clinical practice. It is influenced by different factors, as follows: the individual’s characteristics, personal values and beliefs, physical and mental state, and relationship to other members of their community. The quality of life of the primary caregiver influences their health and the quality of their care interventions. This study aims to investigate how the quality of life of caregivers changes during palliative patients’ care. Methods: This is a prospective longitudinal study that assesses the different aspects of the quality of life of primary caregivers who care for patients with palliative needs. The tool used in this study was the Medical Outcomes Scale-Short Form 36 (MOS-SF36). Results: This study included 140 caregivers, of which 63 were involved in the care of patients with cancer and 77 were involved in the care of patients with non-oncological diseases. Almost 9 out of 10 caregivers were a family member of the patient and over two-thirds of these were women. The caregivers of patients with non-malignant diseases had a decreased quality of life in the following aspects: limitations in their usual role due to emotional problems, social functioning, energy, and their perception of their general health. In the group of oncological patients, the caregivers displayed limitations in their daily role due to physical health, emotional problems, and social functioning. Conclusions: The large number of responsibilities, the long time spent caring, and the uncertainty about the evolution of the disease as well as the marginalization and lack of time for oneself are some of the elements that increase caregiver burden. Along with this, the quality of life of caregivers decreases significantly in different aspects, such as physical, psycho-emotional, and social, with the perception of deteriorating general health.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver malignancy, usually develops in patients with cirrhosis, yet the metabolic mechanisms that distinguish the two conditions remain poorly understood. This study aimed to explore metabolic dysregulations in HCC compared with cirrhosis and to identify potential biomarkers, especially lipids, with diagnostic and prognostic value. We prospectively studied 81 patients—41 with HCC and 40 with cirrhosis—using high-resolution UHPLC-QTOF-ESI⁺-MS to characterize their serum lipidome. Across both groups, 322 metabolites were identified, but their distribution was strikingly different. Patients with HCC showed higher levels of sphingolipids, glycerophospholipids, diglycerides, sterols, and certain fatty acids, reflecting tumor-related metabolic rewiring. In contrast, cirrhotic patients had increased D-glucose, 5-hydroxymethyluracil, lysophospholipids, acylcarnitines, and specific fatty acid derivatives. Several lipids, such as CerPE(d16:2/24:1(2OH)), SM(d18:0/14:0), PA(36:6), and GlcCer(d18:1/12:0), displayed excellent discriminative accuracy, highlighting their role as putative biomarkers. These findings underscore the importance of lipid metabolic reprogramming in HCC, characterized by membrane remodeling, energy adaptation, and oxidative stress resistance. Integrating lipidomic profiling into clinical practice could improve early detection and risk stratification in cirrhotic patients. Larger, multicenter studies are needed to validate these biomarkers and assess their therapeutic implications.

Background: Gastric cancer ranks fifth among the most prevalent malignancies, with poor prognosis due to limited early-stage diagnosis. Metabolic reprogramming plays a central role in GC development, sustaining carcinogenic processes. Methods: In this study, flow-injection tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyse plasma amino acids and acylcarnitines in 62 gastric cancer patients and 70 healthy individuals. Metabolic profiles were correlated with clinical parameters, tumour histology, and recurrence. Results: Gastric cancer patients showed significantly reduced levels of Trp, Arg, Tyr, Met, and sum of aromatic AAs—metabolites usually implicated in supporting tumour cell growth and proliferation. At the same time, elevated unsaturated, hydroxylated, and dicarboxylic acylcarnitines suggest mitochondrial and peroxisomal dysfunction. Marked metabolic heterogeneity was observed across histological subtypes, with the indeterminate subtype exhibiting the most pronounced disruption in fatty acid oxidation and widespread acylcarnitine alterations. Decreased levels of C6DC-carnitine and Cit synthesis were correlated with higher tumour recurrence, warranting further confirmatory investigations. Conclusions: These findings underscore the value of plasma profiling of amino acids and acylcarnitines for understanding gastric cancer biology, revealing distinct metabolic adaptations reflecting tumour biology, histological subtype, and treatment response.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive, heterogeneous, and fatal types of human cancer; therefore, more effective therapeutic drugs are urgently needed. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression and amplification have been identified as a cornerstone in this pathology. The aim of this review is to identify HER2 membrane overexpression in relation to pancreatic cancer pathways that can be used in order to develop a targeted therapy. After searching the keywords, 174 articles were found during a time span of 10 years, between 2013 and 2023, but only twelve scientific papers were qualified for this investigation. The new era of biomolecular research found a significant relationship between HER2 overexpression and pancreatic cancer cells in 25–30% of cases. The variables are dependent on tumor-derived cells, with differences in receptor overexpression between PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma), BTC (biliary tract cancer), ampullary carcinoma, and PNETs (pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors). HER2 overexpression is frequently encountered in human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, and the ERBB family is one of the targets in the near future of therapy, with good results in phase I, II, and III studies evaluating downregulation and tumor downstaging, respectively.