First off, what is Cancer?
Cancer is the second-largest cause of death worldwide, with cardiovascular disease taking first. By 2030, it’s estimated that there will be 13.1 million more cancer-related deaths every year, according to the World Health Organization.
Cancer is a disease that causes certain cells in the body to grow uncontrollably. There are billions of cells in the human body. Most of the cells reproduce or multiply, but there are possibilities when too many cells are multiplied creating clumps of tissue called tumors. Some of these tumors are too strong for the body to eliminate and become Cancer. If one of these tumors is left untreated, it could spread to other parts of the body, harming anything in the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems that may affect body function.
Now, the question we have been waiting for is; What is Liquid Biopsy?
Liquid Biopsy is a laboratory test that is taken on a sample of blood, urine, or other body fluid which is used to detect Cancer cells. Liquid Biopsy allows doctors to track what genetic or molecular changes are happening within a tumor. It is also a simple, non-invasive way of finding information about a tumor with a blood sample. Liquid Biopsy is a relatively new technology and looks extremely promising. The first test was approved by the FDA in 2013. It was originally used to follow up with Cancer patients after treatment but is now being used to achieve more results in a faster time.
How does Liquid Biopsy work:
Liquid Biopsy starts with a simple blood extraction. The blood test gets sent to the labs for testing of Cancer cells within the DNA. The human bloodstream has white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, and plasma flowing through. Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are for carrying oxygen to all cells in the body. White blood cells (leukocytes) are to fight infection by defending the body against bacteria, viruses, and other germs. Platelets (thrombocytes) are to clot the blood and help stop outer bleeding, and Plasma is for taking nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need them. The blood cells (red, white, and platelets) are then separated from the plasma for a Pathologist (a specialist trained to analyze fluid and tissue samples) to examine the blood sample under a microscope for any Cancer cells.
Cells are constantly dying, and when they die, they spill their contents into the bloodstream. Once it's in the bloodstream, the DNA that is present in the nucleus gets broken down into fragments. The fragments that are circulating in the blood, are called cell-free DNA (CRDNA). Looking for the bits of DNA the bits that come from Cancer cells, and are called Circulating Tumor DNA (CTDNA).
How is technology being used today and what companies are using it?
When the analysis process takes place, Pathologists examine the blood sample, for Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) and Circulating Tumor DNA (CTDNA). Looking at the CTCs and CTDNA can predict whether the Cancer would relapse. A normal blood sample holds approximately 8 milliliters, which contains hundreds of millions to billions of cells just within that sample. The cells that Pathologists are searching for, are as few as only three to four cells and are extremely rare.
The technology process of Cancer cell detection is, mixing the blood sample with specialized magnetic particles to find the total amount of Cancer cells within that specimen. The mixture is taken to a machine that flows rapidly across a microfluidic device that pulls the cells down from a magnetic field that is used in the device. That machine can tell how many counted cells were in the blood sample.
Biocept is a company that is using this technology to attain high results for liquid biopsy. They launched a small IPO in early 2014 and raised $19 million to fuel commercialization for the OncoCEE-BR breast Cancer test, a diagnostic tool that captures and analyzes CTCs and CTDNA from a blood sample. Many other companies are working toward the future of Liquid Biopsy such as Genomic Health, Roche, Biocept, and Qiagen.
Most recent advancements in the industry?
Liquid Biopsy has been used to find Cancer in animals, specifically dogs. Dogs have no way of communicating their feelings or emotions, so when they are sick, we have no idea as to what they feel. Each year, 6 million dog owners receive sorrowful news that their dog has developed Cancer. 1 in 3 dogs will develop Cancer in their lifetime, which means that they are as vulnerable to Cancer as their owners. If veterinarians can test dogs for early Cancer detection, then dogs will live longer lives.
How can Liquid Biopsy be applied in the future?
In Europe, there were about four million new Cancer cases in 2020. In that year, 1.9 million people were estimated to have died from Cancer. The Cancer rate in Europe is so high, because of the millions of people who smoke tobacco and drink alcohol daily. Smoking and drinking are extremely common in Europe. The most common types of Cancer that people are prone to developing/dying from are Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, and Colorectal Cancer. If Liquid Biopsy were to be used in places where Cancer is at higher risk, people could treat their Cancer as early as possible, and live a longer and healthy life.
There are low-income countries in this world that may not have access to hospital machinery and/or hospital technology. According to an analysis by the American Cancer Society, the majority of Cancer cases (57%) now occur in low and middle-income countries, and 65% of cancer deaths worldwide occur in these countries. Cervical Cancer is more prone among women in sub-Saharan and West Africa. Liver Cancer often occurs in people infected with the hepatitis B or C virus and is more common among people in West Africa and Southeast Asia.
Conclusions:
Liquid Biopsy is a way to attain information in a way that gives less radiation exposure to the patient (meaning that instead of using CT scans or taking X-rays that use radiation to achieve results, a simple blood test will give the same outcomes). Doctors can receive earlier results and treat Cancer before it gets too extreme. Liquid Biopsy can detect some types of advanced Cancers and it can help healthcare providers make treatment decisions.
Sources:
https://www. frontiersin. org/articles/10. 3389/fonc. 2022. 1099526/full
