REVIEW article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Breast Cancer
Liquid Biopsy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Promising Tool for Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment Monitoring
Provisionally accepted
Marianna RITA Brogna*
Gerardo FerraraValeria VaroneAngela MontoneAdriana FavaMaria Rosaria SchianoMichele DelsestoNubia PizzaAnnalisa ProtaCarmela BarraFrancesca Collina- G. Pascale National Cancer Institute Foundation (IRCCS), Naples, Italy
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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive and heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer, characterized by poor prognosis and limited treatment options. With the advancements in precision oncology, liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising, non-invasive tool for diagnosing TNBC, predicting prognosis, and monitoring treatment response. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and other biomarkers, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), exosomal RNA, and non-coding RNAs, offer valuable insights into tumor heterogeneity, disease progression, and therapeutic efficacy. Recent research has indicated that the presence of ctDNA following neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with reduced progression-free survival. Additionally, mutations in key genes such as TP53 and PIK3CA/AKT, along with microRNA alterations (e.g., miR17, miR19a, miR105), have been identified as potential indicators of treatment response and resistance. Furthermore, the study of CTCs enables real-time tumor dissemination profiling, which may enhance prognostic accuracy. Despite these promising developments, significant challenges persist in the standardization and clinical implementation of liquid biopsy techniques. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current and future applications of liquid biopsy in TNBC management, highlighting its potential to improve early disease detection, optimize therapeutic strategies, and refine patient classification. Integrating liquid biopsy into routine clinical practice could lead to better treatment outcomes and more personalized approaches to TNBC care.
Keywords: Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), liquid biopsy, precision oncology, treatment response, Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
Received: 06 Jun 2025; Accepted: 16 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Brogna, Ferrara, Varone, Montone, Fava, Schiano, Delsesto, Pizza, Prota, Barra and Collina. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Marianna RITA Brogna
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