Testing for oncogenic molecular aberrations in cell-free DNA-based liquid biopsies in the clinic: Are we there yet?

Jiri Polivka, Martin Pesta, Filip Janku

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

The optimal choice of cancer therapy depends upon analysis of the tumor genome for druggable molecular alterations. The spatial and temporal intratumor heterogeneity of cancers creates substantial challenges, as molecular profile depends on time and site of tumor tissue collection. To capture the entire molecular profile, multiple biopsies from primary and metastatic sites at different time points would be required, which is not feasible for ethical or economic reasons.Molecular analysis of circulating cell-free DNA offers a novel, minimally invasive method that can be performed at multiple time-points and plausibly better represents the prevailing molecular profile of the cancer. Molecular analysis of this cell-free DNA offers multiple clinically useful applications, such as identification of molecular targets for cancer therapy, monitoring of tumor molecular profile in real time, detection of emerging molecular aberrations associated with resistance to particular therapy, determination of cancer prognosis and diagnosis of cancer recurrence or progression.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1631-1644
Number of pages14
JournalExpert Review of Molecular Diagnostics
Volume15
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2 2015

Keywords

  • Liquid biopsy
  • advanced cancer
  • cell-free DNA
  • personalized medicine
  • targeted therapy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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