Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2025 May 28;213:104776. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2025.104776. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Over the past decade, liquid biopsy (LB) has emerged as a key tool in oncology. Its utility in non-invasive sampling and real-time monitoring has made it a cornerstone in precision medicine. Since 2020, publications on LB in solid tumors have doubled, underscoring its pivotal role in advancing cancer care. Notably, 2024 marked a peak in scientific papers on this topic. Blood remained the most studied biofluid, with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as the most frequently analyzed analyte, followed by circulating tumor cells, extracellular vesicles, and microRNAs. Among tumor types, gastrointestinal, lung, breast, and genitourinary cancers were the most investigated, collectively accounting for more than half of the studies. Early cancer and minimal residual disease detection are critical areas of interest, emphasizing the expanding potential of fragmentomics and methylation profiling, as well as the prognostic significance of ctDNA across various cancer types. Moreover, serial ctDNA monitoring demonstrated the ability to predict relapse and guide treatment (de)-escalation strategies. In metastatic setting, ctDNA profiling plays a crucial role in capturing tumor heterogeneity, detecting resistance mechanisms, and informing treatment selection. Non-blood biofluids gained interest for their potential to enhance the detection of clinically relevant alterations in different cancer types such as central nervous system and head and neck cancers. Other than biomarkers selection, the technological advancements and artificial intelligence significantly improved the sensitivity and specificity of LB assays. This evidence in combination with the rapid advancement of machine learning and other computational approaches, are paving the way for a new chapter of LB research.

PMID:40447209 | DOI:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2025.104776

J Liq Biopsy. 2025 Mar 27;8:100293. doi: 10.1016/j.jlb.2025.100293. eCollection 2025 Jun.

ABSTRACT

Liquid biopsy (LB) has emerged as a transformative tool in oncology, providing a minimally invasive approach for tumor detection, molecular characterization, and real-time treatment monitoring. By analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and microRNA (miRNA), LB enables comprehensive tumor profiling without the need for traditional tissue biopsies. Over the past decade, research in this field has expanded exponentially, leading to the integration of LB into clinical practice for specific cancer types, including lung and breast cancer. In 2024, the Journal of Liquid Biopsy (JLB) published innovative studies exploring the latest advancements in LB technologies, biomarkers, and their applications for cancer detection, minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring, and therapy response assessment. This review synthesizes recent findings on the role of LB in cancer treatment and monitoring across different biomarkers, with a particular focus on newly published studies and their context within translational research. Additionally, it highlights emerging techniques such as fragmentomics, artificial intelligence, and multiomics, paving the way for more precise, personalized treatment decisions. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in standardizing methodologies, optimizing clinical validation, and integrating LB into routine oncological workflows. This mini-review highlights the evolving landscape of LB research and its potential to revolutionize cancer diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and therapeutic decision-making, ushering in a new era of precision oncology.

PMID:40255897 | PMC:PMC12008596 | DOI:10.1016/j.jlb.2025.100293