[Breakthrough Technologies: Liquid Biopsy -Chairmen's Introductory Remarks.]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Genomics

Background:

• Liquid biopsies are minimally invasive blood tests offering continuous monitoring of a patient's cancer.
• They detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs), tumor DNA fragments, and exosomes shed from primary and metastatic tumors.
• Liquid biopsies overcome limitations of traditional tissue biopsies, such as patient risk and cost.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the advantages and applications of liquid biopsies in cancer care.
• To emphasize the role of liquid biopsies in monitoring genomic changes for cancer diagnosis and treatment response.
• To explore the future potential of liquid biopsies in guiding treatment decisions and detecting early-stage, imaging-invisible tumors.

Main Methods:

• Detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
• Analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) fragments.
• Isolation and analysis of exosomes from blood samples.

Main Results:

• Liquid biopsies provide an ongoing picture of a patient's cancer.
• They offer valuable insights into optimal treatment strategies.
• Genomic changes in tumors can be monitored for diagnosis and assessment of drug effects.

Conclusions:

• Liquid biopsies represent a significant advancement in cancer diagnostics and monitoring.
• They offer a less invasive alternative to traditional tissue biopsies.
• Future applications include guiding cancer treatment and early tumor detection.