Liquid biopsies to occult brain metastasis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Neuroscience
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Brain metastasis (BrM) significantly contributes to cancer mortality.
• Current clinical settings lack specific biomarkers for early BrM detection.
• Liquid biopsy is a recognized non-invasive diagnostic method.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review molecular alterations in BrM, focusing on breast cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma.
• To explore the potential of these alterations for developing early detection biomarkers.
• To discuss how genetic and epigenetic changes facilitate BrM development.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing evidence on molecular mechanisms of BrM.
• Identification of potential biomarkers in circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cell-free DNA, non-coding RNAs, proteins, and metabolites.
• Analysis of biomolecules in various body fluids like blood, serum, CSF, and urine.

Main Results:

• Genetic and epigenetic alterations drive cancer cell invasion of the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
• Various biomolecules (CTCs, cfNAs, ncRNAs, proteins, metabolites) are detectable in body fluids.
• These molecules show promise as candidates for BrM biomarker development.

Conclusions:

• Liquid biopsy biomarkers can complement imaging techniques for improved BrM detection.
• Developing liquid biopsy-based biomarkers is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment of occult BrM.
• Further research into molecular alterations can enhance early detection and treatment strategies for BrM.