What does a liquid biopsy actually change in a patient’s treatment plan?

[Anonymous]

What does a liquid biopsy actually change in a patient’s treatment plan?

[Genetic Counselor]

The main value of liquid biopsy lies in guiding treatment decisions in real time, without requiring repeated invasive procedures. Specific ways it changes clinical care include:

*Selecting targeted therapy: If a liquid biopsy identifies a specific mutation, such as an EGFR mutation in lung cancer, doctors can select a matching targeted drug rather than defaulting to standard chemotherapy
*Detecting resistance early: If a patient’s cancer stops responding to a targeted drug, a liquid biopsy can reveal the new resistance mutation causing this, allowing doctors to switch to a different drug suited to that specific change
*Tracking treatment response: Rising or falling levels of circulating tumour DNA over the course of treatment can indicate whether a therapy is working, sometimes faster than waiting for the next imaging scan
*Detecting recurrence earlier: In some cancers, a liquid biopsy can pick up signs of returning cancer months before it becomes visible on a computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging scan, allowing earlier intervention

[Author]

Posts