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Ntzifa A, Lianidou E. Pre-analytical conditions and implementation of quality control steps in liquid biopsy analysis. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2023; 60:573-594. [PMID: 37518938 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2023.2230290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, great advancements have been made in the field of liquid biopsy through extensive research and the development of new technologies that facilitate the use of liquid biopsy for cancer patients. This is shown by the numerous liquid biopsy tests that gained clearance by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in recent years. Liquid biopsy has significantly altered cancer treatment by providing clinicians with powerful and immediate information about therapeutic decisions. However, the clinical integration of liquid biopsy is still challenging and there are many critical factors to consider prior to its implementation into routine clinical practice. Lack of standardization due to technical challenges and the definition of the clinical utility of specific assays further complicates the establishment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in liquid biopsy. Harmonization of laboratories to established guidelines is of major importance to overcome inter-lab variabilities observed. Quality control assessment in diagnostic laboratories that offer liquid biopsy testing will ensure that clinicians can base their therapeutic decisions on robust results. The regular participation of laboratories in external quality assessment schemes for liquid biopsy testing aims to promptly pinpoint deficiencies and efficiently educate laboratories to improve their quality of services. Accreditation of liquid biopsy diagnostic laboratories based on the ISO15189 standard in Europe or by CLIA/CAP accreditation procedures in the US is the best way to achieve the adaptation of liquid biopsy into the clinical setting by assuring reliable results for the clinicians and their cancer patients. Nowadays, various organizations from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies collaborate to set a framework that will include all procedures from the pre-analytical phase and the analytical process to the final interpretation of results. In this review, we underline several challenges in the analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) concerning standardization of protocols, quality control assessment, harmonization of laboratories, and compliance to specific guidelines that need to be thoroughly considered before liquid biopsy enters the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliki Ntzifa
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evi Lianidou
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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2
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Keup C, Kimmig R, Kasimir-Bauer S. The Diversity of Liquid Biopsies and Their Potential in Breast Cancer Management. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5463. [PMID: 38001722 PMCID: PMC10670968 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Analyzing blood as a so-called liquid biopsy in breast cancer (BC) patients has the potential to adapt therapy management. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and other blood components mirror the tumoral heterogeneity and could support a range of clinical decisions. Multi-cancer early detection tests utilizing blood are advancing but are not part of any clinical routine yet. Liquid biopsy analysis in the course of neoadjuvant therapy has potential for therapy (de)escalation.Minimal residual disease detection via serial cfDNA analysis is currently on its way. The prognostic value of blood analytes in early and metastatic BC is undisputable, but the value of these prognostic biomarkers for clinical management is controversial. An interventional trial confirmed a significant outcome benefit when therapy was changed in case of newly emerging cfDNA mutations under treatment and thus showed the clinical utility of cfDNA analysis for therapy monitoring. The analysis of PIK3CA or ESR1 variants in plasma of metastatic BC patients to prescribe targeted therapy with alpesilib or elacestrant has already arrived in clinical practice with FDA-approved tests available and is recommended by ASCO. The translation of more liquid biopsy applications into clinical practice is still pending due to a lack of knowledge of the analytes' biology, lack of standards and difficulties in proving clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Keup
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
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Bronkhorst AJ, Holdenrieder S. Cell-Free Nucleic Acids: Physico-Chemical Properties, Analytical Considerations, and Clinical Applications. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2312. [PMID: 37443705 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13132312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Human body fluids are rich sources of cell-free nuclear material, which exhibits unique characteristics [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel J Bronkhorst
- Munich Biomarker Research Center, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, German Heart Center, Technical University Munich, 80636 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Holdenrieder
- Munich Biomarker Research Center, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, German Heart Center, Technical University Munich, 80636 Munich, Germany
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Fernandes G, Rodrigues A, Matos C, Barata F, Cirnes L, Ferreira L, Lopes JA, Felizardo M, Fidalgo P, Brito U, Parente B. Liquid biopsy in the management of advanced lung cancer: Implementation and practical aspects. Cancer Treat Res Commun 2023; 36:100725. [PMID: 37321073 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2023.100725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In recent years, the discovery of actionable molecular alterations has changed the treatment paradigm of the disease. Tissue biopsies have been the gold standard for the identification of targetable alterations but present several limitations, calling for alternatives to detect driver and acquired resistance alterations. Liquid biopsies reveal great potential in this setting and also in the evaluation and monitoring of treatment response. However, several challenges currently hamper its widespread adoption in clinical practice. This perspective article evaluates the potential and challenges associated with liquid biopsy testing, considering a Portuguese expert panel dedicated to thoracic oncology point of view, and providing practical insights for its implementation based on the experience and applicability in the Portuguese context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Fernandes
- Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de São João, EPE, Porto, Portugal, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal, IBMC/i3S - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular/Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | | | - Cláudia Matos
- Lung Unit, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Fernando Barata
- Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, EPE - Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | | | - José Albino Lopes
- Pulmonology Department, ULSAM, Viana do Castelo, Portugal; Unidade CUF de Oncologia, Hospital CUF Porto, Porto Portugal
| | | | - Paula Fidalgo
- Medical Oncology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ulisses Brito
- Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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Caputo V, Ciardiello F, Corte CMD, Martini G, Troiani T, Napolitano S. Diagnostic value of liquid biopsy in the era of precision medicine: 10 years of clinical evidence in cancer. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2023; 4:102-138. [PMID: 36937316 PMCID: PMC10017193 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2023.00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy is a diagnostic repeatable test, which in last years has emerged as a powerful tool for profiling cancer genomes in real-time with minimal invasiveness and tailoring oncological decision-making. It analyzes different blood-circulating biomarkers and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the preferred one. Nevertheless, tissue biopsy remains the gold standard for molecular evaluation of solid tumors whereas liquid biopsy is a complementary tool in many different clinical settings, such as treatment selection, monitoring treatment response, cancer clonal evolution, prognostic evaluation, as well as the detection of early disease and minimal residual disease (MRD). A wide number of technologies have been developed with the aim of increasing their sensitivity and specificity with acceptable costs. Moreover, several preclinical and clinical studies have been conducted to better understand liquid biopsy clinical utility. Anyway, several issues are still a limitation of its use such as false positive and negative results, results interpretation, and standardization of the panel tests. Although there has been rapid development of the research in these fields and recent advances in the clinical setting, many clinical trials and studies are still needed to make liquid biopsy an instrument of clinical routine. This review provides an overview of the current and future clinical applications and opening questions of liquid biopsy in different oncological settings, with particular attention to ctDNA liquid biopsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Caputo
- Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Fortunato Ciardiello
- Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Carminia Maria Della Corte
- Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Giulia Martini
- Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Teresa Troiani
- Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Stefania Napolitano
- Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80131 Napoli, Italy
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Horgan D, Čufer T, Gatto F, Lugowska I, Verbanac D, Carvalho Â, Lal JA, Kozaric M, Toomey S, Ivanov HY, Longshore J, Malapelle U, Hasenleithner S, Hofman P, Alix-Panabières C. Accelerating the Development and Validation of Liquid Biopsy for Early Cancer Screening and Treatment Tailoring. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:1714. [PMID: 36141326 PMCID: PMC9498805 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10091714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy (LB) is a minimally invasive method which aims to detect circulating tumor-derived components in body fluids. It provides an alternative to current cancer screening methods that use tissue biopsies for the confirmation of diagnosis. This paper attempts to determine how far the regulatory, policy, and governance framework provide support to LB implementation into healthcare systems and how the situation can be improved. For that reason, the European Alliance for Personalised Medicine (EAPM) organized series of expert panels including different key stakeholders to identify different steps, challenges, and opportunities that need to be taken to effectively implement LB technology at the country level across Europe. To accomplish a change of patient care with an LB approach, it is required to establish collaboration between multiple stakeholders, including payers, policymakers, the medical and scientific community, and patient organizations, both at the national and international level. Regulators, pharma companies, and payers could have a major impact in their own domain. Linking national efforts to EU efforts and vice versa could help in implementation of LB across Europe, while patients, scientists, physicians, and kit manufacturers can generate a pull by undertaking more research into biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Horgan
- European Alliance for Personalised Medicine, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Engineering, Jacob Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj 211007, India
| | - Tanja Čufer
- Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Francesco Gatto
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Iwona Lugowska
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute and Oncology Centre (MSCI), 02781 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Donatella Verbanac
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Ante Kovačića 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ângela Carvalho
- i3S—nstituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- INEB—Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Jonathan A. Lal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Engineering, Jacob Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj 211007, India
- Institute for Public Health Genomics, Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, GROW School of Oncology and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Marta Kozaric
- European Alliance for Personalised Medicine, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sinead Toomey
- Department of Molecular Medicine, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Beaumont Hospital, Smurfit Building, D09 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Hristo Y. Ivanov
- Department of Paediatric and Medical Genetics, Medical University, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - John Longshore
- Astra Zeneca, 1800 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
| | - Umberto Malapelle
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Samantha Hasenleithner
- Institute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Paul Hofman
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, FHU OncoAge, Pasteur Hospital, University Côte d’Azur, CEDEX 01, 06001 Nice, France
| | - Catherine Alix-Panabières
- Laboratory of Rare Human Circulating Cells (LCCRH), University Medical Centre of Montpellier, 641 Avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud, CEDEX 5, 34093 Montpellier, France
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Dobre EG, Constantin C, Neagu M. Skin Cancer Research Goes Digital: Looking for Biomarkers within the Droplets. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12071136. [PMID: 35887633 PMCID: PMC9323323 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12071136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin cancer, which includes the most frequent malignant non-melanoma carcinomas (basal cell carcinoma, BCC, and squamous cell carcinoma, SCC), along with the difficult to treat cutaneous melanoma (CM), pose important worldwide issues for the health care system. Despite the improved anti-cancer armamentarium and the latest scientific achievements, many skin cancer patients fail to respond to therapies, due to the remarkable heterogeneity of cutaneous tumors, calling for even more sophisticated biomarker discovery and patient monitoring approaches. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR), a robust method for detecting and quantifying low-abundance nucleic acids, has recently emerged as a powerful technology for skin cancer analysis in tissue and liquid biopsies (LBs). The ddPCR method, being capable of analyzing various biological samples, has proved to be efficient in studying variations in gene sequences, including copy number variations (CNVs) and point mutations, DNA methylation, circulatory miRNome, and transcriptome dynamics. Moreover, ddPCR can be designed as a dynamic platform for individualized cancer detection and monitoring therapy efficacy. Here, we present the latest scientific studies applying ddPCR in dermato-oncology, highlighting the potential of this technology for skin cancer biomarker discovery and validation in the context of personalized medicine. The benefits and challenges associated with ddPCR implementation in the clinical setting, mainly when analyzing LBs, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena-Georgiana Dobre
- Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91–95, 050095 Bucharest, Romania;
- Correspondence:
| | - Carolina Constantin
- Immunology Department, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania;
- Pathology Department, Colentina Clinical Hospital, 020125 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Monica Neagu
- Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91–95, 050095 Bucharest, Romania;
- Immunology Department, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania;
- Pathology Department, Colentina Clinical Hospital, 020125 Bucharest, Romania
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The Potential and Emerging Role of Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers for Cancer Characterization. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143349. [PMID: 35884409 PMCID: PMC9321521 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Modern, personalized therapy approaches are increasingly changing advanced cancer into a chronic disease. Compared to imaging, novel omics methodologies in molecular biology have already achieved an individual characterization of cancerous lesions. With quantitative imaging biomarkers, analyzed by radiomics or deep learning, an imaging-based assessment of tumoral biology can be brought into clinical practice. Combining these with other non-invasive methods, e.g., liquid profiling, could allow for more individual decision making regarding therapies and applications. Abstract Similar to the transformation towards personalized oncology treatment, emerging techniques for evaluating oncologic imaging are fostering a transition from traditional response assessment towards more comprehensive cancer characterization via imaging. This development can be seen as key to the achievement of truly personalized and optimized cancer diagnosis and treatment. This review gives a methodological introduction for clinicians interested in the potential of quantitative imaging biomarkers, treating of radiomics models, texture visualization, convolutional neural networks and automated segmentation, in particular. Based on an introduction to these methods, clinical evidence for the corresponding imaging biomarkers—(i) dignity and etiology assessment; (ii) tumoral heterogeneity; (iii) aggressiveness and response; and (iv) targeting for biopsy and therapy—is summarized. Further requirements for the clinical implementation of these imaging biomarkers and the synergistic potential of personalized molecular cancer diagnostics and liquid profiling are discussed.
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Clinical Significance of Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential in Hematology and Cardiovascular Disease. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12071613. [PMID: 35885518 PMCID: PMC9317488 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12071613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Liquid profiling uses circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for minimal invasive tumor mutational profiling from peripheral blood. The presence of somatic mutations in peripheral blood cells without further evidence of a hematologic neoplasm defines clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). CHIP-mutations can be found in the cell-free DNA (cfDNA) of plasma, are a potential cause of false positive results in liquid profiling, and thus limit its usage in screening settings. Various strategies are in place to mitigate the effect of CHIP on the performance of ctDNA assays, but the detection of CHIP also represents a clinically significant incidental finding. The sequelae of CHIP comprise the risk of progression to a hematologic neoplasm including therapy-related myeloid neoplasms. While the hematological risk increases with the co-occurrence of unexplained blood count abnormalities, a number of non-hematologic diseases have independently been associated with CHIP. In particular, CHIP represents a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis or heart failure. The management of CHIP requires an interdisciplinary setting and represents a new topic in the field of cardio-oncology. In the future, the information on CHIP may be taken into account for personalized therapy of cancer patients.
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