Liquid Biopsy

Liquid Biopsy refers to minimally invasive testing of circulating biomarkers in bodily fluids, most commonly blood, to detect or monitor disease. In oncology, liquid biopsy typically measures circulating tumour DNA, circulating tumour cells, or other molecular markers reflecting tumour burden, mutation status, and treatment response. Unlike tissue biopsy, liquid biopsy can be repeated over time, enabling dynamic monitoring of disease evolution, resistance mechanisms, and relapse risk.

The biopharmaceutical industry increasingly integrates liquid biopsy into clinical development and precision medicine strategies. Biomarker-driven trials use circulating tumour DNA to identify eligible patients, detect actionable mutations, and track response to targeted therapies. Liquid biopsy supports real-time monitoring of resistance mutations, enabling adaptive treatment strategies and improved clinical decision-making. Analytical challenges include low biomarker abundance, assay sensitivity, and standardisation across laboratories, requiring rigorous validation. Regulatory acceptance continues growing, particularly for companion diagnostics and monitoring applications, as evidence demonstrates clinical utility. Liquid biopsy represents a major shift towards personalised, longitudinal disease management.