Liquid biopsy and glioblastoma.

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Glioblastoma remains a highly aggressive primary brain tumor with limited survival improvements despite extensive research.
• Current diagnosis relies on neuroimaging and tissue analysis, with molecular profiling becoming the gold standard for predicting clinical outcomes.
• Tissue biopsies carry risks and may not always capture tumor heterogeneity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the historical development and current status of liquid biopsy in glioblastoma management.
• To explore the potential of liquid biopsy in overcoming diagnostic and monitoring challenges associated with glioblastoma.
• To identify recent advancements, limitations, and future directions for liquid biopsy applications in glioblastoma.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on liquid biopsy techniques for glioblastoma.
• Analysis of tumor-derived content (nucleic acids, CTCs, EVs) in biofluids (blood, CSF, urine).
• Comparison of liquid biopsy with traditional neuroimaging and tissue-based diagnostics.

Main Results:

• Liquid biopsy can detect and quantify tumor-derived material, offering a less invasive diagnostic alternative.
• It shows promise in identifying early recurrence and distinguishing tumor progression from pseudoprogression.
• Molecular analysis of tissue is increasingly recognized as crucial for glioblastoma classification and prediction.

Conclusions:

• Liquid biopsy holds significant potential to enhance the clinical management of glioblastoma patients.
• Further research is needed to address current limitations and fully integrate liquid biopsy into routine clinical practice.
• This approach may reduce the need for repeated invasive surgical biopsies.