Current Applications of Liquid Biopsy in Gastrointestinal Cancer Disease - From Early Cancer Detection to Individualized Cancer Treatment

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana

Worldwide, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers drive a substantial share of cancer-related deaths, making earlier diagnosis central to improving patient survival. Liquid biopsies (LBs) provide a low-risk, non-invasive approach by sampling biological fluids and enriching tumor-derived material. LBs can detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and circulating tumor cells (CTCs), reflecting disease status and supporting clinical decisions. This review synthesizes current LB types and their clinical use for early detection and monitoring across treatment stages, including in vitro diagnostics.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages39

Reading Time1 h 38 min

AccessFree to download

1. Introduction

2. Liquid Biopsy Approaches for GI Cancers

Early Cancer Detection

Disease Monitoring and Prognosis

In Vitro Diagnostic Applications

cancers Review Current Applications of Liquid Biopsy in Gastrointestinal Cancer Disease—From Early Cancer Detection to Individualized Cancer Treatment Paul David 1, Anke Mittelstädt 1, Dina Kouhestani 1, Anna Anthuber 1, Christoph Kahlert 2, Kai Sohn 3 and Georg F. Weber 1,4, * Citation: David, P.; Mittelstädt, A.; Kouhestani, D.; Anthuber, A.; Kahlert, C.; Sohn, K.; Weber, G.F. Current Applications of Liquid Biopsy in Gastrointestinal Cancer Disease—From Early Cancer Detection to Individualized Cancer Treatment. Cancers 2023, 15, 1924 . [https://doi.org/10.3390/](https://doi.org/10.3390/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.3390/)cancers15071924 Academic Editor: Fortunato Ciardiello Received: 21 February 2023 Revised: 20 March 2023 Accepted: 21 March 2023 Published: 23 March 2023 Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . 1 Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany 2 Department of Surgery, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, 01307 Dresden, Germany 3 Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany 4 Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany * Correspondence: [georg.weber@uk-erlangen.de](georg.weber@uk-erlangen.de); Tel.: +49-913-1853-3296 Simple Summary: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are a common cancer, affecting both men and women, normally diagnosed through tissue biopsies in combination with imaging techniques and standardized biomarkers leading to patient selection for local or systemic therapies. Liquid biopsies (LBs)—due to their non-invasive nature as well as low risk—are the current focus of cancer research and could be a promising tool for early cancer detection and treatment surveillance, thus leading to better patient outcomes. In this review, we provide an overview of different types of LBs enabling early detection and monitoring of GI cancers and their clinical application. Abstract: Worldwide, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers account for a signiﬁcant amount of cancer-related mortality. Tests that allow an early diagnosis could lead to an improvement in patient survival. Liquid biopsies (LBs) due to their non-invasive nature as well as low risk are the current focus of cancer research and could be a promising tool for early cancer detection. LB involves the sampling of any biological ﬂuid (e.g., blood, urine, saliva) to enrich and analyze the tumor's biological material. LBs can detect tumor-associated components such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) . These components can reﬂect the status of the disease and can facilitate clinical decisions. LBs offer a unique and new way to assess cancers at all stages of treatment, from cancer screenings to prognosis to management of multidisciplinary therapies. In this review, we will provide insights into the current status of the various types of LBs enabling early detection and monitoring of GI cancers and their use in in vitro diagnostics. Keywords: liquid biopsy; circulating tumor cells (CTCs); circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA); tumor exosomes; tumor-educated blood platelets (TEPs); organoids; gastrointestinal cancer 1. Introduction Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are responsible for more cancer-related deaths than lung and breast cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the major type of GI cancer, with 1.9 million new cases diagnosed worldwide in 2020, making it after lung and breast cancer the third most common cancer of all organs. Acc

FAQs

What is the purpose of liquid biopsy in gastrointestinal cancer care?

Liquid biopsy aims to support earlier detection and monitoring of gastrointestinal cancers while remaining non-invasive and low risk, helping guide clinical decisions across treatment stages.

Which tumor-related components can liquid biopsy detect?

Liquid biopsies can detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which can mirror disease status.

How does the review describe the diagnostic role of liquid biopsy?

The review outlines the current status and different types of liquid biopsies and summarizes how they can be used for early detection and ongoing monitoring of GI cancers, including applications in in vitro diagnostics.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana