Nanopore sequencing-derived methylation biomarker prediction for methylation-specific PCR in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

DNA methylation of CpG islands is altered in cancer cells. Hypermethylation of single CpG islands in the promoter regions of tumor-suppressor genes occurs already in the early stages of cancer. These methylation changes are cancer-type specific and therefore can serve as early cancer biomarker. Identifying good and reliable biomarkers is crucial for the development of diagnostic tests and their application in clinical practice and remains the most significant challenge to date.