Liquid Biopsy in Gliomas- A Review
1Sr Consultant Neurosurgeon Department of Neurosurgery, Apollo Hospitals; Founder Director- Exsegen Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Background:
Are we witnessing the end of the biopsy as we know it? Is this the start of a revolution in cancer diagnostics and treatment where analysis of somatic mutations present in the blood, CSF, or urine followed by targeted therapy replaces the traditional surgery followed by chemo-radiation? Since 2016, molecular markers are an integral part of the 'glioma' treatment decision-making process- diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic. A lot of these somatic mutations that identify and prognosticate tumors are also detected in the adjoining bio-fluids in serum or CSF- the sampling of which is known as liquid biopsy.
Objective:
The objective of this study is to review the advancement of scientific techniques that now allows the investigation of these bio-fluids, to diagnose, prognosticate and treat gliomas.
Material And Methods:
This review article is an exhaustive review of the literature that summarises the role of the three main liquid biopsy modalities- Circulating Tumor Cells, Cell-free Tumor DNA and Exosomes in the detection of known diagnostic and prognostic markers in gliomas.
Results:
The current review highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the diffrerent modalities in use, and their potential use in the clinical setting.
Conclusion:
Liquid biopsies hold tremendous potential in the diagnosis and management of gliomas in the future.
