How biomarkers and digital technologies will reshape oncology care in Asia by 2026
January 31, 2026 |Saturday |Opinion | From Healthark CEO and Founder Dr. Purav Gandhi
The oncology landscape in Asia is at a critical crossroads. For many years, cancer treatment followed a reactive approach that included diagnosis, surgical intervention, and subsequent administration of chemotherapy. Then came the first wave of precision medicine with the introduction of targeted therapies and companion diagnostics. However, the region is now entering a much more sophisticated era. In 2026, biomarker profiling, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital health technologies have the power to work together to reshape cancer care across Asia.
Asia accounts for approximately 50% of the world’s new cancer cases. This is putting even more pressure on health systems in major Asian economies and emerging markets, such as China, Japan, and India, to improve outcomes while controlling costs.
Historically, companion diagnostics (CDx) were paired 1:1 with specific drugs. However, because the number of practical mutations is increasing, that model is no longer efficient. The market reflects a shift towards more widespread testing. The Asia-Pacific cancer biomarker market is valued at approximately $4.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to surge to $13 billion by 2026. This increase signals a shift towards comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP).
Clinicians are increasingly turning to complex tumor mutational burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI) analyzes to predict response in immunotherapy. This is especially important for regions like Asia, where distinct genetic profiles guide cancer treatment pathways. A good example of this difference is the prevalence of EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is significantly higher in East Asian populations (up to 40 percent) compared to their Western counterparts (up to 18 percent). This requires the development of region-specific biomarker strategies.
Digital revolution in oncology treatment
While biomarkers map tumors, digital biomarkers are being used to map patients. Digital biomarkers consist of physiological and behavioral data collected through smart devices and play an important role in monitoring patient quality of life.
Digital biomarkers are expected to grow from $5.84 billion in 2025 to $24.88 billion in 2033. In oncology, this technology is helping bridge the gap between clinical visits. It is estimated that from 2026 onwards, more standard treatment protocols will incorporate wearable sensors to track vital signs and activity levels during chemotherapy, allowing oncologists to detect adverse events.
In addition to digital biomarkers, artificial intelligence is expected to be a driving force in the future of oncology. AI algorithms are increasingly being deployed to integrate disparate datasets, combining radiology images (radiomics) with pathology slides and genomic data to create a “digital twin” of a patient’s cancer.
Countries such as Taiwan and Singapore are already working in this field, feeding large genomic databases into AI models to identify new therapeutic targets. These AI systems are expected to act as assistants, helping oncologists deal with the complexity of mutations of unknown significance, a common problem in Asian genetic populations.
Liquid biopsy and next generation sequencing (NGS)
One of the most transformative leaps in oncology is the democratization of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and liquid biopsy. These serve as an alternative to invasive tissue biopsies, which are often painful and risky. Liquid biopsies use blood samples to detect tumor DNA, which eliminates the logistical hurdles associated with traditional tissue biopsies.
Innovative solutions are now being offered in the home Asian market as well. For example, SPOT-MAS (Screening for Presence of Tumors by Methylation and Size), an AI-powered multi-omics liquid biopsy technology, is being used in countries such as Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand. Such tests analyze features such as DNA methylation patterns and have a higher chance of early cancer detection compared to traditional genome sequencing. By 2026, it is expected that such multimodal tests will be routinely used in Southeast Asian countries to screen high-risk populations.
Remote monitoring and telemedicine
A region as vast as Asia, made up of vast islands and densely populated metropolises, presents unique logistical challenges for cancer treatment. Telemedicine has partially helped solve this challenge, evolving from a crisis response tool to a standard pillar of oncology.
APAC remote patient monitoring market is expected to reach $2.48 billion by 2030. By 2026, it is expected that “virtual tumor boards” connecting local oncologists in rural areas of Indonesia and the Philippines with specialists in Singapore and Japan will become commonplace. Clinical trials conducted using hybrid mode are expected to enable patients to participate in global drug development research without having to travel to metropolitan hubs, thereby increasing data diversity and speed of trials.
Challenges and opportunities
Despite the optimistic outlook and significant technological advances, significant hurdles remain.
Regulatory fragmentation – Unlike the European Union, Asia does not have a single regulatory body governing the tools of the process in different countries. The approval process for new biomarkers and the tools used vary widely between Japan’s PMDA, China’s NMPA, and other smaller regulatory agencies in Southeast Asia. This hinders interoperability and slows down innovation across borders.
Infrastructure disparity – Access to precision oncology treatments varies by urban and rural areas. In addition to this, reimbursement for NGS tests and new treatments poses challenges for public health insurance systems, especially in developing countries.
Data privacy – AI-driven processes rely on large datasets. Therefore, with the increasing use of digital biomarkers and AI-driven diagnostic procedures, there are growing concerns about genomic data sovereignty and cybersecurity.
But these challenges also present great opportunities for growth and innovation. Asia’s diverse gene pool makes it highly attractive to pharmaceutical companies looking to validate solutions for use in global markets. This is particularly relevant for cancer, as gastric, liver, and nasopharyngeal cancers have higher rates in the Asian diaspora.
Mobile penetration is also above 100 percent in almost every market in Asia, including 264 percent in Hong Kong, 150 percent in Singapore, 145 percent in Taiwan, 140 percent in Japan and South Korea, and 130 percent in Malaysia. This means there is a ready-made infrastructure for deploying digital health solutions at scale. Governments are also making precision medicine a strategic priority, with countries such as China, Japan, and Singapore investing billions of dollars in national genomics initiatives and AI research centers. The rapidly growing middle class, especially in Southeast Asia, is now demanding higher quality healthcare services, thereby creating fertile ground for advanced diagnostics and personalized treatment.
The road to 2026
By 2026, oncology treatment in Asia will look significantly different than it does today. It will become less invasive, more data-driven, and increasingly decentralized. We are moving beyond the era of simple companion diagnostics to the era of continuous and comprehensive biological and digital profiling.
A $13 billion biomarker market, a booming NGS field, and widespread adoption of remote monitoring converge to form a powerful ecosystem. For patients in 2026, this means that cancer diagnosis will be made not just by drugs, but by personalized intelligence systems. As Asian economies continue to invest in this infrastructure, the region is poised to move from a follower to a global leader in precision oncology.
Dr. Prav Gandhi, HealthArc CEO and Founder