Table 2 Biomarker discoveries using metabolomics

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)

3′-UMP, palmitoleic acid, palmitaldehyde, and isobutyl decanoate

Disease recurrence

[39]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

Leucine, valine, and tryptophan

Diagnostic biomarkers

[40]

Non- alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Glycocholic acid, Taurocholic acid, Phenylalanine, branched-chain amino-acids, Glutathione

Discrimination of steatosis, steatohepatitis and cirrhosis

[13]

Oral cancer

Pipecolate, Spermidine, Methionine, Tryptophan, Valine, Hypoxanthine,

Trimethylamine N-oxide, Guanine, Guanosine, Taurine, Choline, Cadaverine, Threonine

Salivary biomarkers for oral cancer screening

[15]

Pancreatic cancer

1,5-Anhydo-d-glucitol

Diagnostic biomarker

[16]

Estrogen receptor negative breast cancer

Histidine, Glucose, Lactate, Tyrosine

Risk of disease recurrence

[17]

Colorectal cancer

Hexadecanedioic acid, 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, 2-pyrocatechuic acid, and Formylanthranilic acid

Screening and early detection using serum biomarkers

[41, 42]

Bladder cancer

Nɛ, Nɛ, Nɛ-trimethyllysine, N-acetyltryptophan, dopaquinone, leucine and hypoxanthine

Risk of disease recurrence

[20]

Sports related biomarkers

Glutamine, N-acetylglutamine, xanthine, beta-sitosterol, N2-acetyllysine, stearoyl-arachidonoyl-glycerol (18:0/20:4), N-acetylserine and 3–7-dimethylurate

Leukocyte telomere length prediction

[22]

Arachidonic acid, branched-chain amino acids, plasminogens, phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines,

Gamma-glutamyl amino acids and glutathione

Potential biomarker signatures for assessing health, performance, and recovery of elite athletes

[23]

5alpha-androstan-3alpha,17alpha-diol monosulfate, androstenediol (3alpha, 17alpha) monosulfate and cortisol

Steroid profile difference in elite female players and non-athletes

[24]

Polycystic ovary syndrome

Hexosylceramide (d18:2/24:0), ceramide (d18.0/24.1) and serine

Predicting low birth weight

[25]

Insulin resistance and diabetes

Androsterone glucuronide, phenylalanine derivative, carboxyethylphenylalanine

Biomarkers associated with insulin resistance in lean/overweight females

[26]

Glycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerophosphorylcholine and choline

Increased risk of obesity-associated insulin resistance

[27]

Glutamate

Predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus

[30]

COVID-19

Tryptophan, kynurenine and 3-hydroxykynurenine

Prognostic markers

[33]

A combination of d-fructose, citric acid and 2-palmitoyl-glycerol

Diagnostic biomarkers

[34]

Palmitic (C16:0), docosapentaenoic (C22:5, DPA), and docosahexaenoic (C22:6, DHA) in diabetic patients

palmitic, oleic (C18:1), and docosahexaenoic acids in hypertensive patients

Predicting disease progression

[36]

Betaine and branched chain amino acids

Prognostic metabolic biomarkers of severity and mortality respectively

[37]