The future of epigenetic biomarker testing is promising. Technology is improving and becoming simpler to use, the cost is decreasing, and there is a continual proposal for new biomarkers. But they are not without their challenges:
- Increasing knowledge of new epigenetic technologies, mechanisms, and platforms
- Specific training for the analysis and result interpretation
- Preservation of the sample
- Amount of sample
- Standardized operation procedures
- Technical facilities/cost
- Conventional methods still needed for the final diagnosis
Overall, epigenetics has enabled practitioners to screen, diagnose, and monitor diseases more effectively and efficiently. Epigenetic biomarker testing has increasingly become more present in clinical labs with new testing and capabilities advancing diagnostic strategies.
To summarize:
- Epigenomic biomarkers contribute to the screening, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of health diseases.
- Advanced technologies in DNA methylation, histone modification, and ncRNAs will be adopted by more clinical laboratories in the diagnostic process.
- New FDA-approved kits, IVD tests, and new CLIA regulations have been proposed to help with the standardization of protocols and to bring high quality methodologies to the clinical laboratory.
