Liquid Biopsies – the Clinics and the Molecules

Abstract

Unlike bone marrow biopsies, liquid biopsies represent a gentler, more accessible, less painful, repeatable and more comprehensive approach to get biologically relevant information about the entire tumor but also about treatment response and level of minimal residual disease. This is all possible since peripheral blood contains not only circulating tumor cells but also many circulating molecules of nucleic acids (microRNA, cell-free DNA, long non-coding RNA etc.). Multiple myeloma is a genetically heterogeneous disease characterized by multifocal tumor deposits in the bone marrow but also focal lesions elsewhere. Single-site biopsy of the bone marrow creates a sampling bias that provides a limited molecular profile as the biopsy cannot capture all subclones. Moreover, during disease progression and treatment, molecular profile is changed and subclones of multiple myeloma cells resistant to treatment are formed. Likewise, various clones found in extramedullary sites that are not present in the bone marrow respond differently to treatment directly influencing survival of patients. Thus, liquid biopsies seem to be a relevant and necessary next step for diseases such as multiple myeloma.Key words: multiple myeloma - minimal residual disease - prognosis - liquid biopsies - cell-free DNA - non-coding RNA.

Prediction of High‐Risk Cytogenetic Status in Multiple Myeloma Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Utility of Radiomics and Comparison of Machine Learning Methods

“…The invasive biopsy may be occasionally unsuccessful in the first attempt, necessitating additional biopsies; second, a biopsy specimen is only representative of a small proportion of the malignancy and might not represent the overall status of the malignancy due to its heterogeneity. 5 Thus, identification of noninvasive methods for the detection of CAs in patients with MM has become an area of intense research interest because of the limitations of traditional methods.…”

“…However, current cytogenetic examinations including the recommended method for detection of HRC—fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH)—are associated with the common issues encountered with all other procedures that require biopsy. The invasive biopsy may be occasionally unsuccessful in the first attempt, necessitating additional biopsies; second, a biopsy specimen is only representative of a small proportion of the malignancy and might not represent the overall status of the malignancy due to its heterogeneity 5 . Thus, identification of noninvasive methods for the detection of CAs in patients with MM has become an area of intense research interest because of the limitations of traditional methods.…”

Spontaneous Epileptic Recordings from hiPSC-Derived Cortical Neurons Cultured with a Human Epileptic Brain Biopsy on a Multi Electrode Array

“…It is possible that the biopsy plug simply secretes substances, such as neurotransmitters, onto the hiPSC-derived cortical neuron cell layer, which could result in network activity in the read-out layer capturing the pro-convulsive electrophysiological phenotype. It was previously shown that a freshly operated brain biopsy may slowly release compounds, such as microRNAs [38], which can leak onto the hiPSC-derived neuronal cell layer and change its response over time. Future studies on elaborating the origin of the electrophysiologic activity may address the connectivity between the neuronal cell layer and the biopsy.…”

Biobanking – the First Step to Successful Liquid Biopsy Experiments

“…Our attention is currently focused on liquid bio psies, meaning samples of PB. Both research teams in Ostrava and Brno have contributed to this Supplementum by several articles [15][16][17].…”