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May 25, 2021

Liquid Biopsy May Yield Diagnostic, Economic Benefits Over Tissue Biopsy in NSCLC

Liquid Biopsy May Yield Diagnostic, Economic Benefits Over Tissue Biopsy in NSCLC

Source : https://www.ajmc.com/view/liquid-biopsy-may-yield-diagnostic-economic-benefits-over-tissue-biopsy-in-nsclc

Liquid biopsy's potential as a diagnostic in cancer is gaining recognition, and its advantages over tissue biopsy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were featured in research recently presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP). Based on their findings, the researchers suggest that liquid biopsy offers both diagnostic and economic benefits.

  • May 25, 2021
    According to the College of American Pathologists, liquid biopsy may pose certain disadvantages. "Important disadvantages of liquid biopsy include the need for an initial histologic diagnosis to be obtained by tissue biopsy. Laboratories performing these assays need to be mindful of appropriate test utilization and the potential for 'over interpretation' in the clinical context. The low variant frequency within the peripheral blood may lead to higher false negative rates and require significantly greater technical efforts and expertise to obtain reliable results."
    Source: #:~:text=Important%20disadvantages%20of%20liquid%20biopsy,interpretation%22%20in%20the%20clinical%20context.
    What are your thoughts about any potential disadvantages of this diagnostic tool?
    • The 'Liquid' Biopsy

    The 'Liquid' Biopsy

    Source : https://www.cap.org/member-resources/articles/the-liquid-biopsy

    The advent of "precision" medicine is characterized by many new improvements in diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic methods and regimens. As part of this initiative, there has been a focus on minimizing the amount of tissue needed for testing via less invasive and safer procedures.

  • May 24, 2021

    Key Points
    • Per the results of a literature review presented at AMCP 2021, presenters indicated that liquid biopsy proffered various diagnostic and economic benefits.
    • Liquid biopsy is less invasive and could be cheaper and faster than tissue biopsy. Of note, liquid biopsy can isolate circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells, exosomes, platelets, and microRNAs. Additionally despite concerns over lower sensitivity, liquid biopsy is highly specific at isolating targetable mutations.
    • Overall, the reviewers indicated that quicker turnaround time and high positive predictive values of liquid biopsy could yield expedited treatment decisions in NSCLC patients with targetable mutations.