Liquid biopsy in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a common childhood cancer.
• Treatment advances have improved outcomes, but relapse remains a significant challenge.
• Liquid biopsy offers a minimally invasive method for monitoring disease in hematologic malignancies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in liquid biopsy technologies for pediatric ALL.
• To discuss the clinical utility and challenges of liquid biopsy in pediatric ALL management.
• To highlight future directions and innovations in the field.

Main Methods:

• Focus on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating microRNAs (miRNAs), and extracellular vesicles (EVs).
• Discussion of biological origins, detection platforms, and clinical applications.
• Consideration of pediatric-specific challenges and cutting-edge innovations.

Main Results:

• Liquid biopsy technologies (ctDNA, miRNAs, EVs) show potential for diagnosis, risk stratification, and MRD assessment in pediatric ALL.
• Pediatric-specific challenges include limited blood volume and assay sensitivity.
• Innovations include EV isolation techniques and machine learning for biomarker integration.

Conclusions:

• Liquid biopsy holds complementary value for optimizing individualized patient management in pediatric ALL.
• Bone marrow evaluation remains the gold standard for diagnosis and MRD monitoring.
• Further validation in prospective pediatric cohorts is crucial for clinical implementation.