Liquid biopsy has rapidly emerged as a transformative, minimally invasive approach to study cancer biology and improve patient management, particularly in metastatic disease. Unlike traditional tissue biopsies, liquid biopsy allows real-time and repeated sampling of tumor-derived material from body fluids, offering a dynamic snapshot of tumor heterogeneity and evolution.

The categories of liquid biopsy are diverse and complementary including circulating tumor cells (CTCs) providing insights into tumor dissemination and metastatic potential, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) reflecting the mutational and epigenetic landscape of tumors, circulating tumor RNA (ctRNA) and non-coding RNAs revealing transcriptional activity, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites that mirror the tumor microenvironment.

When integrated with multi-omics profiling, these liquid biopsy components enable unprecedented opportunities to monitor tumor progression, assess therapeutic response, and advance the paradigm of precision oncology.

This Research Topic aims to bring together cutting-edge research and innovative methodologies in the field of liquid biopsy and circulating cell profiling for metastatic disease. We seek contributions that explore the integration of multi-omics technologies to characterize CTCs, cell-free nucleic acids, extracellular vesicles, and other circulating biomarkers. Emphasis will be placed on studies that demonstrate how liquid biopsy can inform patient stratification, track tumor evolution, and guide therapeutic decisions. We welcome translational and clinical research as well as technological developments that advance detection sensitivity, single-cell analysis, and longitudinal monitoring.

We invite original research articles, methods, perspectives, systematic reviews, and reviews addressing, but not limited to: liquid biopsy technologies and applications; multi-omics approaches in circulating biomarkers; single-cell characterization of CTCs; longitudinal monitoring of metastatic disease; predictive and prognostic biomarkers for therapy response; and clinical implementation in precision oncology. Submissions that bridge preclinical models and clinical practice, or that address challenges in standardization and validation, are particularly encouraged. Contributions should clearly define their impact in advancing our understanding of tumor progression and therapy monitoring in metastatic disease.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

"Liquid biopsy and circulating cell profiling in metastatic disease: multi-omics approaches to monitor tumor progression and therapy response"