Role of liquid biopsy in central nervous system tumors

Abstract

Challenges in obtaining tissue specimens and tumor heterogeneity are major limitations for accurate diagnosis, molecular characterization, risk stratification, and development of biomarker-driven therapies in central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The potential of assessment of CNS tumors through analysis of corporeal fluids (liquid biopsy) is being explored to document tumor-related genetic/epigenetic alterations and protein expression to identify prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers. The quantity of circulating tumor DNA isolated also appears to be directly associated with tumor progression and response to treatment. In this review, we provide synopsis of the recent studies which have provided crucial insights into analyzing circulating tumor cells, cell-free nucleic acids, and extracellular vesicles for directing long-term disease control. We have also highlighted the stumbling blocks and gaps in technology that need to be overcome to translate research findings into a tool in the clinical setting.