Metastatic Melanoma: Liquid Biopsy as a New Precision Medicine Approach

Abstract

Precision medicine has driven a major change in the treatment of many forms of cancer. The discovery that each patient is different and each tumor mass has its own characteristics has shifted the focus of basic and clinical research to the singular individual. Liquid biopsy (LB), in this sense, presents new scenarios in personalized medicine through the study of molecules, factors, and tumor biomarkers in blood such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), exosomes and circulating tumor microRNAs (ct-miRNAs). Moreover, its easy application and complete absence of contraindications for the patient make this method applicable in a great many fields. Melanoma, given its highly heterogeneous characteristics, is a cancer form that could significantly benefit from the information linked to liquid biopsy, especially in the treatment management. In this review, we will focus our attention on the latest applications of liquid biopsy in metastatic melanoma and possible developments in the clinical setting.

Correlation Analyses between Histological Staging and Molecular Alterations in Tumor-Derived and Cell-Free DNA of Early-Stage Primary Cutaneous Melanoma

“…For early molecular diagnosis in precision medicine, especially in cases such as lung and colorectal adenocarcinoma, the use of PB LB has been introduced [32][33][34][35]. Limited information about the application of LB in melanoma is available in clinical practice because a small amount of cfDNA is derived from it [20,36,37]. Aberrations with extremely low allele frequencies, especially in LB samples, are best identified with dPCR.…”

Advances in Precision Medicine Approaches for Colorectal Cancer: From Molecular Profiling to Targeted Therapies

“…Additionally, liquid biopsies can identify minimal residual disease, offering the possibility of early intervention to prevent relapse. 197,198 The emergence of liquid biopsies in colorectal cancer reflects a shift toward more personalized and patient-centric care. Patients may benefit from reduced reliance on invasive tissue biopsies and more frequent monitoring of their disease through blood tests.…”

“…Second, these tests can guide treatment decisions by assessing a patient’s response to therapy and detecting the emergence of treatment-resistant mutations. Additionally, liquid biopsies can identify minimal residual disease, offering the possibility of early intervention to prevent relapse. , …”

Tumor biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapy

“… 116 , 121 Liquid biopsy can enhance patient overall survival (OS) by improving early cancer detection and monitoring treatment response continuously. Thus, liquid biopsies are widely used in the clinical biomarker screening of tumors, such as endometrial cancer, 122 lung cancer, 123 pancreatic cancer, 124 CRC, 125 melanoma, 126 renal cell carcinoma (RCC), 127 breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and bladder cancer. 128 In addition, liquid biopsy technology is also utilized to detect and monitor KRAS, BRAF, and EGFR mutations in patients with lung cancer, CRC, and breast cancer.…”