WHAT IS LIQUID BIOPSY?
Liquid biopsy is a non-invasive way of monitoring an individual’s cancer status, cancer risk or treatment performance. It is a test performed on a blood sample, which is then sent to a laboratory to check for circulating cancer cells or cancer DNA. The liquid biopsy cannot replace the soft tissue biopsy in case of a cancer diagnosis, but provides additional information and a non-invasive option to assess the individual cancer risk or treatment performance.
Liquid biopsy allows for the assessment of a number of cancer cells in the body which allows us to monitor the risks for relapse or spreading, as well as the efficacy of anti-cancer treatments. Furthermore, the molecular and genetic analysis provides information, which allows the medical oncologists to design a highly specific and targeted cancer treatment for the patient.
For healthy individuals, the liquid biopsy is used to identify and examine the individual’s cancer risk. The information will also help oncologists understand how best to care for cancers if it does develop in the future.