Beyond Circulating Tumor Cell Enumeration: Cell-Based Liquid Biopsy to Assess Protein Biomarkers and Cancer Genomics...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Translational Medicine

Background:

• Minimally invasive diagnostic techniques are crucial for modern patient care.
• Liquid biopsy, analyzing blood, provides an alternative to traditional tissue biopsies.
• Current plasma analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) identifies mutations but not phenotypes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as a complementary component of liquid biopsy.
• To highlight how CTC analysis can provide information on cancer phenotypes and drug targets.
• To demonstrate how CTCs can aid in assessing resistance mechanisms during therapy.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of fragmented circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma.
• Enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
• Interrogation of protein biomarkers and whole cancer genomes from isolated CTCs.

Main Results:

• Plasma ctDNA analysis is effective for mutation identification and disease detection.
• CTC enumeration offers prognostic value.
• Emerging technologies enable protein biomarker analysis and genomic profiling of CTCs.

Conclusions:

• Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) offer a powerful avenue for assessing cancer phenotypes and drug target expression.
• CTC analysis, combined with ctDNA, enhances the capabilities of liquid biopsy.
• The identification, characterization, and molecular analysis of CTCs are vital for advancing 21st-century cancer medicine.