The potential for liquid biopsies in head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancers consist of a heterogeneous group of cancers that are difficult to treat successfully. Limited screening options result in patients being diagnosed at advanced stages at presentation, and difficulty with treatment options and post-treatment surveillance can lead to poor outcomes. In this setting, tools for early and precise detection of disease will be highly valuable. Liquid biopsies, or use of analytes in blood, saliva, and other body fluid samples, provide new avenues for cancer screening with the potential for early detection, treatment modification, and surveillance of head and neck cancers. Early studies of liquid biopsies in specific head and neck cancers have had encouraging results. Nevertheless, various challenges remain before its routine adoption into clinical use is feasible. With continued advancement in the field of liquid biopsies, there is great promise for clinical implementation and significant improvement in head and neck cancer care.