Liquid biopsy: the current state of the issue

Abstract

Background Liquid biopsy is a promising method of diagnosing malignant tumors. It allows determining the level of free circulating tumor cells – micrometastases, tumor DNA, microRNA and exosomes in blood plasma, as well as detecting various genetic changes. This work included a literature review of current scientific publications on liquid biopsy techniques indexed in PubMed.Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and peculiarities of this technique in comparison with standard methods of morphological verification of oncological diseases, as well as the feasibility of its use in clinical practice. Compared to tissue biopsy LB has the following advantages: simplicity and speed of examination, easy repeatability and low invasiveness, possibility of dynamic monitoring of tumor progression – general clonal transformation as well as the appearance of resistance to treatment. The disadvantages of this method include low sensitivity, difficulty in proper interpretation of biomarkers and determination of their specificity, high risk of false positive and false negative results due to the presence of dormant tumor cells.Conclusion Currently, liquid biopsy analysis in clinical practice requires standardization and continuous validation.

Prognostic Value of Liquid Biopsy in Crc: A Literature Review

“…This approach has some advantages and limitations. The liquid biopsy method allows us to determine the level of freely circulating tumor cells -micrometastases, tumor DNA, microRNA, and exosomes in blood plasma-and detect various genetic changes [2]. All of the above allows us to study the literature and accumulated data on the liquid biopsy method as a diagnostic method from the point of view of prognostic significance, the place of the method in current recommendations, and practical expediency.…”