scholarly journals Liquid Biopsies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Are We Winning?

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tudor Mocan ◽  
André L. Simão ◽  
Rui E. Castro ◽  
Cecília M. P. Rodrigues ◽  
Artur Słomka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Clinical Performance ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Liquid Biopsies ◽  
Disease Biomarkers ◽  
Common Cancer ◽  
Tumor Dna ◽  
Tumor Proteins

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. One of the major problems faced by researchers and clinicians in this area is the lack of reliable disease biomarkers, which would allow for an earlier diagnosis, follow-up or prediction of treatment response, among others. In this regard, the “HCC circulome”, defined as the pool of circulating molecules in the bloodstream derived from the primary tumor, represents an appealing target, the so called liquid biopsy. Such molecules encompass circulating tumor proteins, circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), tumor-educated platelets (TEPs), and circulating tumor nucleic acids, namely circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor RNA (ctRNA). In this article, we summarize recent findings highlighting the promising role of liquid biopsies as novel potential biomarkers in HCC, emphasizing on its clinical performance.

scholarly journals ctDNAtools: An R package to work with sequencing data of circulating tumor DNA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amjad Alkodsi ◽  
Leo Meriranta ◽  
Annika Pasanen ◽  
Sirpa Leppä
Keyword(s):  
Residual Disease ◽  
Fragment Size ◽  
R Package ◽  
Monte Carlo Sampling ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Cancer Diagnostics ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Liquid Biopsies ◽  
Tumor Dna

AbstractSummarySequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in minimally-invasive liquid biopsies is rapidly maturing towards clinical utility for cancer diagnostics. However, the publicly available bioinformatics tools for the specialized analysis of ctDNA sequencing data are still scarce. Here, we present the ctDNAtools R package, which provides functionalities for testing minimal residual disease (MRD) and analyzing cfDNA fragmentation. MRD detection in ctDNAtools utilizes a Monte Carlo sampling approach to test ctDNA positivity through tracking a set of pre-detected reporter mutations in follow-up samples. Additionally, ctDNAtools includes various functionalities to study cfDNA fragment size histograms, profiles and fragment ends patterns.AvailabilityThe ctDNAtools package is freely available under MIT license at https://github.com/alkodsi/ctDNAtools.

scholarly journals The Emerging Role of Circulating Tumor DNA in the Management of Breast Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3813
Author(s):  
Mira Shoukry ◽  
Sacha Broccard ◽  
Jamie Kaplan ◽  
Emmanuel Gabriel
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Treatment Approach ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Liquid Biopsies ◽  
Novel Technologies ◽  
Potential Biomarker ◽  
Ctdna Analysis ◽  
Tumor Dna ◽  
Current Standards

With the incidence of breast cancer steadily rising, it is important to explore novel technologies that can allow for earlier detection of disease as well more a personalized and effective treatment approach. The concept of “liquid biopsies” and the data they provide have been increasingly studied in the recent decades. More specifically, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a potential biomarker for various cancers, including breast cancer. While methods such as mammography and tissue biopsies are the current standards for the detection and surveillance of breast cancer, ctDNA analysis has shown some promise. This review discusses the versatility of ctDNA by exploring its multiple emerging uses for the management of breast cancer. Its efficacy is also compared to current biomarkers and technologies.

scholarly journals Clinical utility of circulating tumor DNA as a response and follow-up marker in cancer therapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 999-1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter A. Boonstra ◽  
Thijs T. Wind ◽  
Michel van Kruchten ◽  
Ed Schuuring ◽  
Geke A. P. Hospers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Therapy ◽  
Treatment Response ◽  
Clinical Utility ◽  
Tumor Response ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Tumor Burden ◽  
Liquid Biopsies ◽  
Secondary Resistance ◽  
Tumor Dna

Abstract Response evaluation for cancer treatment consists primarily of clinical and radiological assessments. In addition, a limited number of serum biomarkers that assess treatment response are available for a small subset of malignancies. Through recent technological innovations, new methods for measuring tumor burden and treatment response are becoming available. By utilization of highly sensitive techniques, tumor-specific mutations in circulating DNA can be detected and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be quantified. These so-called liquid biopsies provide both molecular information about the genomic composition of the tumor and opportunities to evaluate tumor response during therapy. Quantification of tumor-specific mutations in plasma correlates well with tumor burden. Moreover, with liquid biopsies, it is also possible to detect mutations causing secondary resistance during treatment. This review focuses on the clinical utility of ctDNA as a response and follow-up marker in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. Relevant studies were retrieved from a literature search using PubMed database. An overview of the available literature is provided and the relevance of ctDNA as a response marker in anti-cancer therapy for clinical practice is discussed. We conclude that the use of plasma-derived ctDNA is a promising tool for treatment decision-making based on predictive testing, detection of resistance mechanisms, and monitoring tumor response. Necessary steps for translation to daily practice and future perspectives are discussed.

scholarly journals Efficient detection and post-surgical monitoring of colon cancer with a multi-marker DNA methylation liquid biopsy

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (5) ◽  
pp. e2017421118
Author(s):  
Shengnan Jin ◽  
Dewen Zhu ◽  
Fanggui Shao ◽  
Shiliang Chen ◽  
Ying Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Plasma Samples ◽  
Liquid Biopsies ◽  
Efficient Detection ◽  
Radiologic Imaging ◽  
Tumor Dna

Multiplex assays, involving the simultaneous use of multiple circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) markers, can improve the performance of liquid biopsies so that they are highly predictive of cancer recurrence. We have developed a single-tube methylation-specific quantitative PCR assay (mqMSP) that uses 10 different methylation markers and is capable of quantitative analysis of plasma samples with as little as 0.05% tumor DNA. In a cohort of 179 plasma samples from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, adenoma patients, and healthy controls, the sensitivity and specificity of the mqMSP assay were 84.9% and 83.3%, respectively. In a head-to-head comparative study, the mqMSP assay also performed better for detecting early-stage (stage I and II) and premalignant polyps than a published SEPT9 assay. In an independent longitudinal cohort of 182 plasma samples (preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up) from 82 CRC patients, the mqMSP assay detected ctDNA in 73 (89.0%) of the preoperative plasma samples. Postoperative detection of ctDNA (within 2 wk of surgery) identified 11 of the 20 recurrence patients and was associated with poorer recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio, 4.20; P = 0.0005). With subsequent longitudinal monitoring, 14 patients (70%) had detectable ctDNA before recurrence, with a median lead time of 8.0 mo earlier than seen with radiologic imaging. The mqMSP assay is cost-effective and easily implementable for routine clinical monitoring of CRC recurrence, which can lead to better patient management after surgery.

scholarly journals Role of circulating tumor DNA to help decision-making in hepatocellular carcinoma

Oncoscience ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 209-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johann von Felden ◽  
Ama J. Craig ◽  
Augusto Villanueva
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Tumor Dna

scholarly journals Translational Utility of Liquid Biopsies in Thyroid Cancer Management

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3443
Author(s):  
Ayanthi A. Wijewardene ◽  
Marthe Chehade ◽  
Matti L. Gild ◽  
Roderick J. Clifton-Bligh ◽  
Martyn Bullock
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Liquid Biopsy ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Liquid Biopsies ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Cancer Management ◽  
Diagnostic Role ◽  
Tumor Dna

Liquid biopsies are a novel technique to assess for either circulating tumor cells (CTC) or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA and microRNA (miRNA)) in peripheral blood samples of cancer patients. The diagnostic role of liquid biopsy in oncology has expanded in recent years, particularly in lung, colorectal and breast cancer. In thyroid cancer, the role of liquid biopsy in either diagnosis or prognosis is beginning to translate from the lab to the clinic. In this review, we describe the evolution of liquid biopsies in detecting CTC, ctDNA and miRNA in thyroid cancer patients, together with its limitations and future directions in clinical practice.

scholarly journals Recent Advancements in Nanoparticle-Based Optical Biosensors for Circulating Cancer Biomarkers

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1339
Author(s):  
Chaima Amri ◽  
Arvind Kumar Shukla ◽  
Jin-Ho Lee
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Detection ◽  
Cancer Biomarkers ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Great Sensitivity ◽  
Micro Rna ◽  
Optical Biosensors ◽  
Liquid Biopsies ◽  
Transduction Mechanisms ◽  
Tumor Dna ◽  
Tumor Proteins

The effectiveness of cancer treatment strongly depends on the early detection of the disease. Currently, the most common diagnostic method, tissue biopsy, takes time and can be damaging to the patient. Circulating cancer biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA, micro-RNA (miRNA), tumor proteins, exosomes, and circulating tumor cells have repeatedly demonstrated their viability as targets for minimally invasive cancer detection through liquid biopsies. However, among other things, achieving a great sensitivity of detection is still challenging due to the very low concentration of biomarkers in fluid samples. This review will discuss how the recent advances in nanoparticle-based biosensors are overcoming these practical difficulties. This report will be focusing mainly on optical transduction mechanisms of metal nanoparticles (M-NPs), quantum dots (QDs), and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs).

scholarly journals Role of Circulating Tumor DNA in Hematological Malignancy

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2078
Author(s):  
Miho Ogawa ◽  
Kazuaki Yokoyama ◽  
Seiya Imoto ◽  
Arinobu Tojo
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Biopsy ◽  
Hematological Malignancies ◽  
Residual Disease ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Circulating Tumor Dna ◽  
Liquid Biopsies ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring ◽  
Tumor Dna

With the recent advances in noninvasive approaches for cancer diagnosis and surveillance, the term “liquid biopsy” has become more familiar to clinicians, including hematologists. Liquid biopsy provides a variety of clinically useful genetic data. In this era of personalized medicine, genetic information is critical to early diagnosis, aiding risk stratification, directing therapeutic options, and monitoring disease relapse. The validity of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-mediated liquid biopsies has received increasing attention. This review summarizes the current knowledge of liquid biopsy ctDNA in hematological malignancies, focusing on the feasibility, limitations, and key areas of clinical application. We also highlight recent advances in the minimal residual disease monitoring of leukemia using ctDNA. This article will be useful to those involved in the clinical practice of hematopoietic oncology.

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