Recent years have seen liquid biopsy making significant strides in the healthcare landscape, especially for cancer detection. Known also as multi-cancer detection (MCD) or MCD assays, this test screens for various cancers using just a blood or fluid sample, in contrast to the traditional, more invasive tissue biopsy. It has gained considerable attention due to its transformative potential in early cancer detection.
Historically, cancer detection relied heavily on tissue biopsies, which, despite their usefulness, have several limitations. Tissue biopsies are invasive and can be difficult to perform, particularly for tumours located in inaccessible parts of the body, such as bones. They may also be impossible to conduct if the patient has other health conditions, and their turnaround time can be lengthy. Furthermore, a tissue biopsy typically provides information limited to a specific point in time and one particular area, whereas liquid biopsies, designed for early detection, can identify cancer before symptoms even manifest. They also yield results more swiftly, often within a week, which is particularly crucial in dealing with a dynamic disease like cancer.
Liquid biopsies offer other advantages as well. They help in formulating personalised treatment plans by identifying patients who may benefit from targeted therapies. This test can detect resistance patterns, genetic variants, and collect DNA from hard-to-reach tumours or those lacking enough tissue for a conventional biopsy. These attributes have led to increased insurance coverage for the procedure, which is making it a cost-effective option for many patients. Given all these benefits, it’s no wonder that this technology has caused a major shift in the cancer diagnostics landscape.
The scope of liquid biopsy has already been demonstrated through its application in detecting several hard-to-diagnose cancers. For example, researchers from the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Southern California presented a study showing that a newly developed liquid biopsy test could detect 97% of stage I and II pancreatic cancers in hundreds of participants. Since pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths despite being relatively rare, this development marked a major breakthrough in early detection.
Biotechnology firm PrognomiQ also reported promising results using its liquid biopsy platform for the early-stage detection of lung cancer. Their study indicated that this method could significantly improve early detection and potentially guide effective treatments much earlier in the disease’s progression. Guardant Health, another leader in this field, has introduced a simple liquid biopsy test for colorectal cancer, while a study led by researchers at Japan’s National Cancer Center Hospital East examined how personalised treatments based on Guardant360 CDx tests impacted 4,037 advanced cancer patients. This particular test, approved by the FDA, delivers results in under seven days, aiding swift treatment decisions.
Liquid biopsy is even being extended to animals, with tests developed for early cancer detection in dogs. These applications only scratch the surface of what this technology has achieved so far.
Research into liquid biopsy continues to explore additional applications, such as in paediatric cancers. For example, ongoing studies at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California have been investigating its potential in detecting solid cancers like Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, and Wilms tumour. The preliminary findings showed promise not only for diagnosis but also for monitoring treatment responses and detecting recurrence in paediatric patients. At UChicago Medicine, trials are assessing how liquid biopsies might help optimise immunotherapy for recurrent, metastatic head and neck cancers, potentially improving treatment outcomes and reducing side effects.
The innovation within the liquid biopsy field remains robust. The test’s ability to guide personalised treatment is a recurring theme in recent developments and is likely to be a focus for the foreseeable future. Researchers are already exploring its integration with artificial intelligence and deep learning to further improve cancer diagnostics and treatments. Machine learning models are becoming essential for interpreting data from liquid biopsies and deriving actionable medical insights.
There is no doubt that liquid biopsies have secured a significant role in cancer diagnostics, providing a minimally invasive, fast, and effective option that benefits both patients and healthcare providers alike.
As research and technology continue to evolve, the role of liquid biopsy in cancer detection and treatment is set to grow even more. The use of advanced technologies alongside these tests may further enhance early diagnosis, offering better outcomes for patients worldwide.
EDX Medical Group Plc (AQSE:EDX) is a global specialist in digital clinical diagnostics; developing and supporting high-performance products and services to provide cost-effective prediction of disease risk, inform clinical decision-making, enable personalised healthcare and accelerate the development of new medicines for cancer, neurology, heart disease and infectious diseases.
