CRISPR systems in cancer therapeutics and diagnostics.

Abstract

Cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, underscoring the need for precise diagnostic approaches and effective therapeutic strategies. The invention of the CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) system has transformed cancer research by enabling accurate and efficient genome editing. This review provides a comprehensive overview of CRISPR-based applications in cancer therapeutics and diagnostics, beginning with an introduction to cancer biology and the CRISPR/Cas9 mechanism of action. The therapeutic potential of CRISPR is discussed with a focus on targeting oncogenes, restoring tumor suppressor gene function, and advancing cancer immunotherapy through approaches such as CAR-T cell engineering. The use of CRISPR-based screening platforms to identify genes associated with drug resistance is also examined, along with current challenges including off-target effects, delivery limitations, and ethical considerations, as well as future directions for clinical translation. In addition, the diagnostic capabilities of CRISPR technologies are highlighted, including the detection of circulating tumor DNA, cancer-associated extracellular vesicles, protein biomarkers, and microRNAs. Recent advances in CRISPR/Cas-based strategies aimed at improving detection sensitivity and specificity are summarized. Overall, this review highlights the expanding role of CRISPR systems in cancer diagnosis and therapy and emphasizes their potential to contribute to the development of more personalized and effective cancer management strategies.