Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 30, 2026
Detection and Monitoring of Tumor Associated Circulating DNA in Patient Biofluids
Published on: June 8, 2019
Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Tumor DNA: Challenges and Opportunities on the Path to Clinical Utility
Michail Ignatiadis1, Mark Lee2, Stefanie S Jeffrey3
1Department of Medical Oncology and Breast Cancer Translational Research Laboratory J. C. Heuson, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract:
Recent technological advances have enabled the detection and detailed characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTC) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood samples from patients with cancer. Often referred to as a "liquid biopsy," CTCs and ctDNA are expected to provide real-time monitoring of tumor evolution and therapeutic efficacy, with the potential for improved cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we focus on these opportunities as well as the challenges that should be addressed so that these tools may eventually be implemented into routine clinical care.
