cell-free DNA

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    How Can Detection of Tumor DNA in the Blood Aid Advanced Cancer Treatment?

    With: Alexey Aleshin, MD, MBAPaul Billings, MD, PhD

    As a tumor grows, it may shed fragments of its DNA into the patient’s bloodstream. After treatment, if part of the tumor remains or it begins to grow again, more of this circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may enter the blood. That raises the possibility that detecting ctDNA could help clinicians monitor molecular or minimal residual disease—cancer that remains after treatment and cannot be detected… Read more »

  •   George Lundberg, MD

    Article from Clinical OMICs curated by Editor in Chief George Lundberg, MD, who notes: 

    Researchers have recently demonstrated a noninvasive way to diagnose and classify brain tumors using a blood test. This promising “liquid biopsy” method detects cell-free tumor DNA in the blood and analyzes its chemical features—specifically, its “methylation patterns”—with high sensitivity and accuracy. Such a test could help guide treatment decisions.

    Go to full article published by Clinical OMICs.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

  •   George Lundberg, MD

    Article from MDLinx curated by Editor in Chief George Lundberg, MD, who notes: 

    Very early detection of potentially lethal cancer remains an elusive goal. Blood tests that evaluate methylation of cell-free DNA may be one strategy for earlier detection of ovarian cancer and other types of cancer. High sensitivity and specificity are crucial.

    Go to full article published by MDLinx.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

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    Testing for Tumor Mutations: Liquid Biopsy Versus Traditional Biopsy

    Emma Shtivelman, PhD

    Update as of August 27, 2020: A lot has changed in the three-and-a-half years since this blog post was written. Liquid biopsies are by now widely recognized and used as a valuable diagnostic and monitoring tool. Many of the reservations and concerns described in the original post below have been addressed and largely resolved by refining the technology. The latest proof of this is… Read more »