Liquid biopsy for precision diagnostics and therapeutics

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Liquid biopsy (LB) is a minimally invasive diagnostic technique analyzing biomolecules in physiological fluids.
• It offers advantages over traditional tissue biopsies for oncology and other medical fields.
• Biomolecules analyzed include circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and cell-free DNA (cfDNA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current liquid biopsy technologies and clinical applications.
• To emphasize the isolation and analysis of ctDNA and/or cfDNA.
• To identify tumor markers for cancer detection, prognosis, and treatment monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Review of various LB methodologies including droplet digital PCR, BEAMing, TAm-Seq, CAPP-Seq, WGBS-Seq, WES, and WGS.
• Analysis of ctDNA and cfDNA isolation and detection techniques.
• Exploration of circulating tumor cell (CTC) isolation via biomarker-based cell capture (positive and negative enrichment).

Main Results:

• Liquid biopsy provides insights into tumor characteristics, treatment response, and early disease detection.
• Diverse technologies exist for analyzing ctDNA, cfDNA, and CTCs.
• Challenges in sensitivity, specificity, standardization, and interpretability are addressed.

Conclusions:

• Liquid biopsy is a promising non-invasive tool in oncology.
• Current technologies enable effective identification of tumor markers.
• Further standardization and validation are crucial for widespread clinical adoption.