J Liq Biopsy. 2025 Aug 6;9:100320. doi: 10.1016/j.jlb.2025.100320. eCollection 2025 Sep.

ABSTRACT

Over the past decade, liquid biopsy has progressively expanded its role in oncology, supported by mounting evidence demonstrating an increasing number of clinical applications. At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, liquid biopsy emerged as a central theme across multiple sessions, with more than 700 abstracts, investigating the clinical utility of liquid biopsy across a wide range of tumor types and disease stages. Applications presented included cancer screening, minimal residual disease (MRD) detection, management of metastatic disease, and potential use for matching patients to clinical trials. This editorial, authored on the behalf of the Young Committee of the International Society of Liquid Biopsy (ISLB) highlights the result of selected studies, grouped by tumor type.

PMID:40980343 | PMC:PMC12447415 | DOI:10.1016/j.jlb.2025.100320

Adv Lab Med. 2025 Jun 16;6(3):259-276. doi: 10.1515/almed-2025-0010. eCollection 2025 Sep.

ABSTRACT

Blood-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis has emerged as a highly relevant non-invasive method for molecular profiling of solid tumors, offering valuable information about the genetic landscape of cancer. Somatic mutation analysis of ctDNA is now used clinically to guide targeted therapies for advanced cancers. Recent advancements have also revealed its potential in early detection, prognosis, minimal residual disease assessment, and prediction/monitoring of therapeutic response. In recent years, significant progress has been made with the development of various PCR and NGS-based methods designed for assessing gene variants in ctDNA of patients with cancer. However, despite the transformative possibilities that ctDNA analysis presents, challenges persist. Standardization of preanalytical and analytical protocols, assay sensitivity, and the interpretation of results remain critical hurdles that need to be addressed for the widespread clinical implementation of ctDNA testing. In addition to somatic mutations, emerging studies on DNA methylation (epigenomics) and fragment size patterns (fragmentomics) in several types of biological fluids are yielding promising results as non-invasive biomarkers for effective cancer management. This review addresses the clinical applications of somatic gene variants in ctDNA, emphasizes their potential as cancer biomarkers, and highlights essential factors for successful implementation in clinical laboratories and cancer management.

PMID:40977813 | PMC:PMC12446922 | DOI:10.1515/almed-2025-0010