Winter Sarah¹, Frank Jonas², Arnold Lucy³, König Julian⁴, Spencer Sofia⁵, Kuhn David⁶, Vogt Nora⁷
ABSTRACT:
The advent of liquid biopsy technologies has revolutionized cancer diagnostics by enabling non-invasive detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and RNA (ctRNA). These biomarkers provide real-time insights into tumor genetics, epigenetics, and transcriptomics, offering unprecedented opportunities for early cancer detection, minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring, and personalized therapy selection. This review examines the biological origins of ctDNA and ctRNA, their clinical applications across solid and hematologic malignancies, and technological advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS), digital PCR, and methylation profiling. We highlight challenges in sensitivity, specificity, and standardization, while exploring future directions including multi-analyte panels and artificial intelligence-driven analysis. The integration of liquid biopsies into routine oncology practice promises to transform cancer management through precision medicine.