Liquid Biopsy

Liquid biopsy, also known as fluid biopsy or fluid phase biopsy, is the sampling and analysis of non-solid biological tissue, primarily blood. This technique is mainly used as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for diseases such as cancer, with the added benefit of being largely noninvasive28. Scylex Lab is distinctively equipped to conduct liquid biopsy with precision.

As a tumour grows, pieces can break off and circulate in your bloodstream29. A liquid biopsy can identify those pieces. Liquid biopsies can detect circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in your blood, providing evidence that you have a cancerous tumour. These pieces of your tumour also provide genetic information about the cancer that can help your healthcare provider decide what treatments may work best to treat it. In the context of pharmacogenetics, liquid biopsy can be a powerful tool for personalized medicine. It allows for the detection of genetic variations or mutations in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) that can influence how a patient responds to specific drugs. For instance, certain genetic mutations can make tumours more susceptible to particular therapies. By analyzing ctDNA through a liquid biopsy, healthcare providers can identify these mutations and use this information to guide treatment decisions. This could mean choosing a drug known to be effective against tumours with a specific mutation or avoiding drugs that are likely to be ineffective or cause adverse reactions based on the patient’s genetic profile. Moreover, because liquid biopsies are less invasive than traditional tissue biopsies, they can be performed more frequently. This allows for real-time monitoring of a patient’s genetic profile and how it changes in response to treatment. If new mutations arise that confer drug resistance, this can be detected early and treatment strategies can be adjusted accordingly. In summary, the use of liquid biopsies in pharmacogenetics represents an exciting advancement in personalized medicine, offering the potential for more effective and tailored treatment strategies.