Non-invasive Biomarkers for Prostate and Bladder Cancer

Prostate and bladder cancers are among the most common urological malignancies worldwide. Traditional diagnostic approaches, including tissue biopsy, cystoscopy, and PSA testing, remain central to clinical practice, but they can be invasive, costly, and in some cases limited in specificity. In this context, liquid biopsy approaches based on urine, serum, plasma, and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) are emerging as promising non-invasive, repeatable, and scalable alternatives for cancer detection and monitoring.

Recent advances in molecular profiling and cell-free DNA technologies have expanded the ability to detect tumor-specific mutations, methylation patterns, and fragmentomic features. These developments are transforming the field by opening new possibilities for earlier detection, improved prognostication, and more personalized treatment strategies in both prostate and bladder cancer.

This Research Topic aims to highlight progress in the development and application of non-invasive biomarkers that can improve diagnostic accuracy beyond PSA and cytology through the identification of specific molecular signatures. It also seeks to explore sensitive assays of cfDNA and RNA biomarkers for early detection, support personalized medicine through treatment-response monitoring and minimal residual disease assessment, and reduce patient burden by advancing approaches based on simple urine or blood collection. In addition, the Topic aims to strengthen translational research in this area by encouraging work that supports biomarker validation across academic and industry settings.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives, and commentaries focusing on non-invasive biomarkers for prostate and bladder cancer, including but not limited to:
• Urine-based biomarkers, including RNA panels, cfDNA, and protein markers for prostate and bladder cancer detection
• Serum and plasma biomarkers, including circulating proteins, metabolites, and cfDNA fragments for systemic monitoring
• ctDNA analysis, including mutation profiling, methylation signatures, and fragmentomics for precision oncology
• Clinical applications in screening, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy monitoring, and recurrence detection
• Current challenges in the field, including assay standardization, sensitivity in low-tumor burden settings, and integration into clinical workflows
• Future directions such as multi-marker panels, AI-driven biomarker interpretation, and cost-effective assays for broader clinical implementation

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: prostate cancer, bladder cancer, liquid biopsy, non-invasive biomarkers, ctDNA, cfDNA, urine biomarkers, plasma biomarkers, early detection, precision oncology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.