A New Blood Test for Head and Neck Cancers: Liquid Biopsy

Abstract

Tumors constantly release many substances into the bloodstream, including tumor cells, cell-free DNA, and exosomes. These are sources of tumor-derived information, and are therefore potentially useful biomarkers for early detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of disease. Liquid biopsy is a newly developed blood test that detects such circulating biomarkers, that could gradually become applicable to clinical practice. Liquid biopsy has several advantages over tissue biopsy, and is recognized not only as an easily accessible, non-invasive, and repeatable examination, but also as one that allows comprehensive analysis of the tumor tissue profile. Herein, we describe the current situation of detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In the future, further development of liquid biopsy, including CTC analysis, could provide useful information that could enable precision medicine for HNSCC.