Liquid biopsy from research to clinical practice: focus on non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

In the current era of personalized medicine, liquid biopsy has acquired a relevant importance in patient management of advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As a matter of fact, liquid biopsy may supplant the problem of inadequate tissue for molecular testing. The term 'liquid biopsy' refers to a number of different biological fluids, but is most clearly associated with plasma-related platforms. It must be taken into account that pre-analytical processing and the selection of the appropriate technology according to the clinical context may condition the results obtained. In addition, novel clinical applications beyond the evaluation of the molecular status of predictive biomarkers are currently under investigation.

AREAS COVERED:

This review summarizes the available evidence on pre-analytical issues and different clinical applications of liquid biopsies in NSCLC patients.

EXPERT OPINION:

Liquid biopsy should be considered not only as a valid alternative but as complementary to tissue-based molecular approaches. Careful attention should be paid to the optimization and standardization of all phases of liquid biopsy samples management in order to determine a significant improvement in either sensitivity or specificity, while significant reducing the number of 'false negative' or 'false positive' molecular results.

• Authors: Umberto Malapelle, Pasquale Pisapia, Alfredo Addeo, Oscar Arrieta, Beatriz Bellosillo, Andres F Cardona, Massimo Cristofanilli, Diego De Miguel-Perez, Valeria Denninghoff, Ignacio Durán, Eloísa Jantus-Lewintre, Pier Vitale Nuzzo, Ken O'Byrne, Patrick Pauwels, Edward M Pickering, Luis E Raez, Alessandro Russo, Maria José Serrano, David R Gandara, Giancarlo Troncone, Christian Rolfo
• Journal: Expert review of molecular diagnostics (Expert Rev Mol Diagn) Vol. 21 Issue 11 Pg. 1165-1178 (Nov 2021) ISSN: 1744-8352 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 34570988 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor

Topics

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (diagnosis, pathology)
• Humans
• Liquid Biopsy (methods)
• Lung Neoplasms (diagnosis, pathology)
• Precision Medicine