Revolutionizing Brain Cancer Diagnosis: A Review Of Liquid Biopsies And ctDNA Analysis

Abstract: 

Brain tumors are rare yet highly complex malignancies that pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Liquid biopsy (LB) has emerged as a novel, non-invasive approach to detect and monitor brain tumors by analyzing biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in bodily fluids. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of ctDNA-based liquid biopsies in diagnosing and monitoring brain tumors, with a focus on gliomas and glioblastomas, and to assess how current techniques can be improved. It reviewed 11 original articles from PubMed and Google Scholar, selected based on the criteria of using ctDNA as the main biomarker for cancer detection. The findings underscore ctDNA's promise for brain tumor diagnosis and monitoring in liquid biopsies but highlight the need for more sensitive methods for early detection. Future advancements should focus on multimodal

approaches combining ctDNA analysis with additional biomarkers, such as extracellular vesicles (EVs), and leveraging AI-enhanced imaging technologies like MRI for improved risk prediction and classification. Further, standardized protocols across laboratories are essential to ensure consistent and reliable results, ultimately improving outcomes in brain tumor diagnosis and management.