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A Standardized Liquid Biopsy Preanalytical Protocol for Downstream Circulating-Free DNA Applications
Published on: September 16, 2022
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Liquid Biopsies, Novel Approaches and Future Directions
Athanasios Armakolas1,2, Maria Kotsari1, John Koskinas2
1Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece.
Cancers
|March 11, 2023
Summary
Liquid biopsies offer a minimally invasive alternative to traditional tissue biopsies for cancer diagnosis and monitoring. These approaches, analyzing circulating tumor DNA and other biomarkers, enable real-time therapy response assessment and improved patient management.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Cancer remains a leading global cause of mortality, necessitating advancements in early detection and prognosis.
- Tissue biopsy, the current standard for tumor characterization, has limitations including infrequent sampling and incomplete tumor representation.
- Liquid biopsy presents a promising alternative, offering minimally invasive methods for cancer diagnosis and monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in liquid biopsy markers for cancer diagnosis and patient follow-up.
- To highlight the advantages and disadvantages of various liquid biopsy approaches.
- To discuss the potential of liquid biopsies in real-time therapy response monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
- Detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA).
- Evaluation of circulating miRNAs and tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs).
- Assessment of circulating protein signatures.
Main Results:
- Liquid biopsies provide a more comprehensive tumor profile compared to tissue biopsies.
- Minimally invasive nature allows for frequent sample collection and real-time monitoring.
- Enables timely assessment of therapy response and adjustment of treatment strategies.
Conclusions:
- Liquid biopsy markers show significant potential for improving cancer patient diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic management.
- The ability to frequently monitor treatment response non-invasively represents a major advancement in oncology.
- Further research into liquid biopsy technologies will refine their clinical application and efficacy.
