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Tumor-educated platelet as liquid biopsy in lung cancer patients
Lian Liu1, Fang Lin2, Xiaoting Ma1
1Cancer Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Lung cancer is the most frequent cancer for males and third most frequent cancer for females. Targeted therapy drugs based on molecular alterations, such as angiogenesis inhibitors, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors are important part of treatment of NSCLC. However, the quality of the available tumor biopsy and/or cytology material is sometimes not adequate to perform the necessary molecular testing, which has prompted the search for alternatives. This review examines the use of tumor-educated platelet (TEP) as a liquid biopsy in lung cancer patients. The development of sensitive and accurate techniques have made it possible to detect the specific genetic alterations for which targeted therapies are already available. Liquid biopsy offers opportunities to detect resistance mechanisms at an early stage. To conclude, tumor-educated platelet has the potential to be used as liquid biopsy for a variety of clinical and investigational applications.
Insights
Tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) show promise as a liquid biopsy for lung cancer. TEPs can detect genetic alterations for targeted therapies, improving treatment options when traditional biopsies are insufficient.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally.
- Current treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) rely on targeted therapies, necessitating molecular profiling of tumors.
- Inadequate quality of tumor biopsy or cytology samples can hinder essential molecular testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the emerging role of tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) as a non-invasive liquid biopsy in lung cancer.
- To explore the potential of TEPs in detecting actionable molecular alterations for targeted therapy selection.
- To assess the utility of TEPs in identifying early signs of treatment resistance.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on TEPs and their application in oncology.
- Analysis of advancements in sensitive and accurate techniques for TEP analysis.
- Evaluation of TEPs as a diagnostic tool in comparison to traditional biopsies.
Main Results:
- Sensitive techniques enable the detection of specific genetic alterations in TEPs, relevant to targeted therapies.
- TEPs offer a viable alternative when tumor tissue is insufficient for molecular testing.
- Liquid biopsy using TEPs can facilitate early detection of resistance mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) represent a promising liquid biopsy approach for lung cancer management.
- TEP analysis can guide targeted therapy selection and monitor treatment response.
- Further clinical and investigational applications of TEPs in lung cancer are anticipated.
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