Liquid biopsy can be defined as a minimally invasive method to detect certain molecular biomarkers in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine. These biomarkers can provide a variety of information about cancerous tumors. It can often serve as an alternative or supplemental test to surgical biopsies. Liquid biopsy typically analyzes circulating cancer cells or traces of a cancer's RNA or DNA present in a blood sample. A liquid biopsy may be used to help:
- Detect cancers at an early stage
- Plan treatment options that are most likely to work for a specific patient
- Find out how well a treatment is working
- Determine if the cancer has reoccurred
