Liquid Biopsy in Lung Cancer: Biomarkers for the Management of Recurrence and Metastasis

Abstract

Liquid biopsies have emerged as a promising tool for the detection of metastases as well as local and regional recurrence in lung cancer. Liquid biopsy tests involve analyzing a patient’s blood, urine, or other body fluids for the detection of biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells or tumor-derived DNA/RNA that have been shed into the bloodstream. Studies have shown that liquid biopsies can detect lung cancer metastases with high accuracy and sensitivity, even before they are visible on imaging scans. Such tests are valuable for early intervention and personalized treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes. Liquid biopsies are also minimally invasive compared to traditional tissue biopsies, which require the removal of a sample of the tumor for further analysis. This makes liquid biopsies a more convenient and less risky option for patients, particularly those who are not good candidates for invasive procedures due to other medical conditions. While liquid biopsies for lung cancer metastases and relapse are still being developed and validated, they hold great promise for improving the detection and treatment of this deadly disease. Herein, we summarize available and novel approaches to liquid biopsy tests for lung cancer metastases and recurrence detection and describe their applications in clinical practice.

Emerging Horizons in the Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Circulating microRNAs as Early Detection Biomarkers for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

“…Achieving this would require consensus guidelines established through multi-disciplinary expert working groups. Pipeline optimization considering sample processing, miRNA extraction, profiling platform, and data normalization is also vital [ 33 , 34 ].…”

Medical Relevance, State-of-the-Art and Perspectives of “Sweet Metacode” in Liquid Biopsy Approaches

“…This pertains, for example, to small-cell lung carcinoma, triple-negative BCa, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, glioblastoma and advanced ovarian cancer [16]. As in the case of PCa (e.g., urinal exosomal non-coding RNA) [17], for a more aggressive and rapidly spreading lung cancer, liquid biopsy tests are being developed and validated [18]. This holds great promise for their future use in clinical diagnostics-for the benefit of patients, but also for healthcare systems, as the costs per cancer patient might be almost doubled if cancer is diagnosed at a later stage [19,20].…”

The Complex Role of the Microbiome in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Development and Progression

“…These communities have been collectively termed as the lung microbiome, and refer to the collection of microorganisms (including bacteria, archaea, lower and higher eukaryotes, and viruses), and their genetic material that resides in an individual's lung at a given moment in time [43,44]. It is known that the microbiome plays an important role in human health and disease by modulating the host's innate and adaptive immune system, immune responses, and metabolism, and by protecting from invading pathogens [45,46]. A healthy lung microbiome shows a rich, dynamic, transient, and diverse bacterial community that is present in a low abundance, being characterized mainly by phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and genera such as Prevotella, Veillonella, and Streptococcus [46,47].…”

“…Dysbiosis in the URT through aspirations, and inhalation of aerosols of microbial pathogens, may play a causative role in disease through upregulation of inflammatory signals, such as NF-kB, Ras, IL-17, and PI3K, or blunting TNF and IFN γ production in response to these pathogens in the lower airways [12]. In addition, smoking and exposure to indoor and outdoor environmental pollutants are other causes of alterations in the lung microbiota, which can lead to inflammation and diseases such as asthma, COPD, and lung cancer [19,45,46,50,51]. It is unclear, however, if microbial dysbiosis itself is the cause of or a consequence of disease [12].…”