title: Exosome levels in human body fluids: A tumor marker by themselves?
abstract: Despite considerable research efforts, the finding of reliable tumor biomarkers remains challenging and unresolved. In recent years a novel diagnostic biomedical tool with high potential has been identified in extracellular nanovesicles or exosomes. They are released by the majority of the cells and contain detailed molecular information on the cell of origin including tumor hallmarks. Exosomes can be isolated from easy accessible body fluids, and most importantly, they can provide several biomarkers, with different levels of specificity. Recent clinical evidence shows that the levels of exosomes released into body fluids may themselves represent a predictive/diagnostic of tumors, discriminating cancer patients from healthy subjects. The aim of this review is to highlight these latest challenging findings to provide novel and groundbreaking ideas for successful tumor early diagnosis and follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cappello
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariantonia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Logozzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Celeste Caruso
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Bavisotto
authors.affiliation: Àrea de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia Cellular i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; Joint Research Unit on Endocrinology, Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Health Research Institute La Fe, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcilla
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Properzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fais
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism*; D055354:Exosomes; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Biomarkers; Body fluids; Early diagnosis; Exosomes; Extracellular vesicles; Follow-up; Prostate cancer