Liquid biopsy for renal cell carcinoma.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biomarker Discovery
• Translational Medicine

Background:

• Liquid biopsies provide a minimally invasive alternative to traditional tissue biopsies for cancer management.
• Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) research has limited clinical studies on liquid biopsy biomarkers.
• Identifying reliable biomarkers from urine, plasma, serum, and feces is crucial for RCC patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate liquid biopsy biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic response in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
• To assess the clinical impact and potential of various analytes, including cell-free DNA (cfDNA), circulating RNAs, exosomes, and proteins.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review adhering to the PRISMA checklist was conducted.
• Identified biomarkers were categorized based on their application in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic response assessment.
• Evaluated studies for biomarker effectiveness, reproducibility, sample size, multi-center rigor, and cost-effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Plasma cfDNA, circulating RNAs, exosomes, and proteins show potential for RCC diagnosis.
• Plasma cfDNA, circulating RNAs, and proteins are promising for prognostic assessment.
• Plasma and serum-derived proteins are indicated for monitoring therapeutic response.
• Biomarker panels generally demonstrate higher efficacy than single analytes.
• Significant limitations include small study sizes, lack of multi-center validation, and absence of cost-effectiveness data.

Conclusions:

• Liquid biopsy biomarkers hold significant potential for advancing renal cell carcinoma (RCC) management.
• Current evidence highlights the need for larger, multi-center studies to validate findings.
• Development of standardized protocols is essential for the routine clinical integration of liquid biopsies in RCC care.