Liquid biopsy in ovarian cancer: advantages and limitations for prognosis and diagnosis

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a highly fatal gynecologic malignancy, often diagnosed at an advanced stage which presents significant challenges for disease management. The clinical application of conventional tissue biopsy methods and serological biomarkers has limitations for the diagnosis and prognosis of OC patients. Liquid biopsy is a novel sampling method that involves analyzing distinctive tumor elements secreted into the peripheral blood. Growing evidence suggests that liquid biopsy methods such as circulating tumor cells, cell-free RNA, circulating tumor DNA, exosomes, and tumor-educated platelets may improve early prognosis and diagnosis of OC, leading to enhanced therapeutic management of the disease. This study reviewed the evidence demonstrating the utility of liquid biopsy components in OC prognosis and diagnosis, and evaluated the current advantages and limitations of these methods. Additionally, the existing obstacles and crucial topics for future studies utilizing liquid biopsy in OC patients were discussed.

Automated summary

Ovarian cancer is a highly fatal gynecologic malignancy often diagnosed at an advanced stage which presents challenges for disease management. Conventional tissue biopsy and serological biomarkers have limitations in diagnosing and predicting the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients. Liquid biopsy, a novel sampling method involving analysis of tumor elements in peripheral blood, shows promise in improving early prognosis and diagnosis of ovarian cancer. This study reviews the utility of liquid biopsy components in ovarian cancer prognosis and diagnosis, and evaluates their advantages, limitations, and obstacles for future studies.