Journal: NPJ precision oncology
This review discusses how liquid biopsy can be applied specifically to older adults with cancer, a population with rising incidence and distinct management challenges.
Key points:
- Rationale in geriatrics: Older patients often have comorbidities, frailty, and higher risk from invasive procedures and repeated tissue biopsies. Liquid biopsy offers a less invasive alternative that may be better tolerated.
- Clinical roles described:
- Early detection and screening in high‑risk older populations.
- Real‑time disease monitoring (treatment response, minimal residual disease, and early relapse).
- Identification of actionable molecular targets and resistance mechanisms when tissue is unavailable or unsafe to obtain.
- Feasibility and safety: The article emphasizes that liquid biopsy is generally safe, quick, and logistically easier for older adults, potentially reducing procedure‑related complications and hospital visits.
- Integration into care: The authors argue that incorporating liquid biopsy into routine geriatric oncology practice could:
- Support more personalized treatment decisions.
- Help avoid overtreatment and undertreatment.
- Improve quality of life by minimizing invasive diagnostics and enabling closer, less burdensome monitoring.
Overall, the review positions liquid biopsy as a promising, patient‑friendly tool to optimize cancer management and outcomes in the aging population, while noting the need for more dedicated geriatric-focused evidence before widespread implementation.