DNA methylation in gastric precancerous lesions: Molecular mechanisms and clinical translation

Table 1 Comparison of DNA methylation detection methods for screening and diagnosis of gastric precancerous lesions

Sample type	Performance characteristics	Core advantages	Main limitations
Tissue	High	Directly reflects molecular features at the lesion site; allows simultaneous pathological diagnosis	Invasive sampling; not suitable for large-scale, repeated screening
Blood	Moderate-high	Completely non-invasive; facilitates repeated sampling and dynamic monitoring	Sensitivity may be limited for very early or focal lesions; relatively high cost
Stool	Moderate	Completely non-invasive; convenient sample collection and high patient compliance	Results may be influenced by factors such as gut microbiota
Gastric juice	To be systematically validated (theoretically potentially high)	A local liquid biopsy closer to the lesion and may enrich lesion-specific signals	Sampling requires intubation via the mouth, reducing comfort
Breath test	Early research stage	Completely non-invasive with extremely high patient acceptance	Technological platforms are in early development; research on related epigenetic markers is scarce