Tumor-educated platelets as liquid biopsy: Uncovering the mechanisms of cancer progression

Tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for cancer detection, monitoring, and therapeutic evaluation. Unlike traditional tissue biopsies, liquid biopsies leveraging TEPs offer a non-invasive approach to overcome challenges posed by tumor heterogeneity and inaccessibility of certain tissues. Platelets interact dynamically with tumors, undergoing molecular and functional alterations that reflect tumor progression and metastasis. This review investigates the historical context of TEPs, their role in cancer biology, mechanisms of interaction with tumors, and also the characterization of the molecular signature by using multi-omics techniques. A comprehensive understanding of these alterations provides essential insights into tumor presence, location, and biological behavior, making TEPs a valuable diagnostic tool, which, in turn, can enhance early cancer detection and ongoing disease surveillance.