Extracellular Vesicles and Circulating Tumour Cells - complementary liquid biopsies or standalone concepts?

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biomarkers
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Liquid biopsies offer promising cancer detection but face challenges with statistical significance and robustness.
• Some biomarkers have gained FDA approval, while others have been limited in clinical application.
• Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are key liquid biopsy candidates with potential for expanded clinical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an in-depth review and comparison of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
• To explore the potential of EVs and CTCs beyond traditional cancer diagnosis and screening.
• To provide a comparative perspective on their methodologies, applications, and future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as liquid biopsy biomarkers.
• Examination of similarities in surface antigen utilization for characterization and quantification.
• Evaluation of downstream applications based on isolation methodologies and inherent material properties (living vs. transient).

Main Results:

• Both EVs and CTCs share similarities in utilizing surface antigens for analysis.
• Key differences lie in their nature: CTCs are living material, while EVs are considered dead with transient effects.
• Current FDA-approved applications exist for CTCs, with potential for expanded use.

Conclusions:

• Neither EVs nor CTCs are declared a definitive winner, highlighting the need for continued research.
• Intensified research on both EVs and CTCs is recommended to unlock their full clinical potential.
• Understanding the distinct properties of EVs and CTCs is crucial for advancing liquid biopsy applications.