Liquid biopsies: Potential and challenges

TY - JOUR

T1 - Liquid biopsies: Potential and challenges

AU - Heidrich, Isabel

AU - Ačkar, Lucija

AU - Mossahebi Mohammadi, Parinaz

AU - Pantel, Klaus

N1 - © 2020 The Authors. International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Union for International Cancer Control.

PY - 2021/2/1

Y1 - 2021/2/1

N2 - The analysis of tumor cells or tumor cell products obtained from blood or other body fluids ("liquid biopsy" [LB]) provides a broad range of opportunities in the field of oncology. Clinical application areas include early detection of cancer or tumor recurrence, individual risk assessment and therapy monitoring. LB allows to portray the entire disease as tumor cells or tumor cell products are released from all metastatic or primary tumor sites, providing comprehensive and real-time information on tumor cell evolution, therapeutic targets and mechanisms of resistance to therapy. Here, we focus on the most prominent LB markers, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor-derived DNA (ctDNA), in the blood of patients with breast, prostate, lung and colorectal cancer, as the four most frequent tumor types in Europe. After a brief introduction of key technologies used to detect CTCs and ctDNA, we discuss recent clinical studies on these biomarkers for early detection and prognostication of cancer as well as prediction and monitoring of cancer therapies. We also point out current methodological and biological limitations that still hamper the implementation of LB into clinical practice.

AB - The analysis of tumor cells or tumor cell products obtained from blood or other body fluids ("liquid biopsy" [LB]) provides a broad range of opportunities in the field of oncology. Clinical application areas include early detection of cancer or tumor recurrence, individual risk assessment and therapy monitoring. LB allows to portray the entire disease as tumor cells or tumor cell products are released from all metastatic or primary tumor sites, providing comprehensive and real-time information on tumor cell evolution, therapeutic targets and mechanisms of resistance to therapy. Here, we focus on the most prominent LB markers, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor-derived DNA (ctDNA), in the blood of patients with breast, prostate, lung and colorectal cancer, as the four most frequent tumor types in Europe. After a brief introduction of key technologies used to detect CTCs and ctDNA, we discuss recent clinical studies on these biomarkers for early detection and prognostication of cancer as well as prediction and monitoring of cancer therapies. We also point out current methodological and biological limitations that still hamper the implementation of LB into clinical practice.

U2 - 10.1002/ijc.33217

DO - 10.1002/ijc.33217

M3 - SCORING: Review article

C2 - 32683679

VL - 148

SP - 528

EP - 545

JO - INT J CANCER

JF - INT J CANCER

SN - 0020-7136

IS - 3

ER -