Liquid biopsy provides new tool for detecting recurrent breast cancer and monitoring its progression

Intratumor heterogeneity is a major challenge in cancer therapy

Breast cancer tumor cells differ in both genetic and biological properties

It is possible that some cancer cells tolerated the treatment well enough to survive, which could lead to breast cancer recurrence later on

"Time is a key factor in intratumor heterogeneity

"Furthermore, tumor samples are only representative at the time of sampling, and after sampling, intratumoral heterogeneity cannot really be monitored

Liquid biopsy opens up new possibilities for detecting cancer mutations

Liquid biopsies using biomarkers released by cancer cells are considered a possible method for early detection of recurrent breast cancer and monitoring of cancer progression

In particular, liquid biopsies focus on cell-free DNA released by cancer cells that carries mutations characteristic of cancer tumors

"Our findings suggest that liquid biopsy can be used to detect cancer mutations in breast cancer tumors and their metastases

Earlier diagnosis and more accurate clinical presentation

Months before medical tests revealed recurrent breast cancer, researchers observed mutations in cell-free DNA that were unique to recurrent breast cancer

Professor Arto Mannermaa from the University of Eastern Finland explained: "By monitoring cancer mutations detected from cell-free DNA, not only recurrent breast cancer can be detected, but also mutations relevant to treatment planning can be identified to support decision-making by medical professionals

"Based on our findings, liquid biopsy is a promising approach to complement information obtained with traditional diagnostic methods, which can provide increasingly accurate information on breast cancer development and recurrence

Circulating Cell-Free DNA Reflects the Clonal Evolution of Breast Cancer Tumors