Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the gastrointestinal tract. It is a multifactorial disease that involves environmental factors, genetic factors, and lifestyle factors. Due to the absence of specific and sensitive biomarkers, CRC patients are usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and consequently suffer from a low 5-year overall survival rate. Despite improvements in surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy, the prognosis of patients with CRC remains unfavorable due to local and distant metastases. Several studies have shown that small noncoding RNAs, such as microRNAs packed in exosomes, are potential biomarkers in various types of cancers, including CRC, and that they can be detected in a stable form in both serum and plasma. In this review, we report the potential of circulating exosomal miRNAs to act as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC.

Until January 2023, Brazil recorded 37 million COVID-19 cases despite the decrease in mortality after mass vaccination efforts for SARS-CoV-2. The infection continues to challenge researchers and health professionals with persistent symptoms and onset manifestations after the acute phase of the disease, namely Post-Covid Condition (PCC). Being one of the countries with the highest infection rate, Brazil must prepare for many patients with chronic health consequences of COVID-19. Longitudinal studies that follow patients over extended periods are crucial in understanding the long-term impacts of COVID-19, including potential health consequences and the effects on quality of life. We describe the clinical profile of a cohort of COVID-19 patients infected during the first year of the pandemic in Brazil and a follow-up after two years to investigate the health impacts of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Brazil featured extensive drug misuse, notably the ineffective COVID kit comprised of ivermectin, antimalarials and azithromycin, and elevated in-hospital mortality. In the study’s second phase, PCC was reported by symptomatic COVID-19 subjects across different severity levels two years after infection. Long haulers are more likely to be women, previously hospitalized, and reported a range of symptoms from muscle pain to cognitive deficit. In conclusion, our longitudinal study is essential to inform public health authorities to develop strategies and policies to control the spread of the virus and mitigate its impacts on society.