Liquid biopsy of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: implications in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring

Abstract

Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common malignant tumour of the gastrointestinal tract. Early detection and access to appropriate treatment are crucial for the long-term survival of patients. However, limited diagnostic and monitoring methods are available for identifying early stage ESCC. Endoscopic screening and surgical resection are commonly used to diagnose and treat early ESCC. However, these methods have disadvantages, such as high recurrence, lethality, and mortality rates. Therefore, methods to improve early diagnosis of ESCC and reduce its mortality rate are urgently required. In 1961, Gary et al. proposed a novel liquid biopsy approach for clinical diagnosis. This involved examining exosomes, circulating tumour cells, circulating free DNA, and circulating free RNA in body fluids. The ability of liquid biopsy to obtain samples repeatedly, wide detection range, and fast detection speed make it a feasible option for non-invasive tumour detection. In clinical practice, liquid biopsy technology has gained popularity for early screening, diagnosis, treatment efficacy monitoring, and prognosis assessment. Thus, this is a highly promising examination method. However, there have been no comprehensive reviews on the four factors of liquid biopsy in the context of ESCC. This review aimed to analyse the progress of liquid biopsy research for ESCC, including its classification, components, and potential future applications.

Keywords:

• Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma
• early detection
• liquid biopsy
• diagnostic methods
• treatment

Acknowledgements

We extend our gratitude to Academician Li Zhaoshen and Professor Wang Luowei for providing the initial motivations for this review, to Gao Ye for his insightful comments and rational advice, to Cheng Zhiyuan for his help on refining the tables and formatting of the article, and to Xin Lei, Yu Chuting, and Wang Tinglu for their contributions to the completion of this review. We are also particularly thankful to Hao Meijuan for her dedicated effort in drafting this review over the course of 5 months. Last but not least, we thank everyone for their invaluable input which has enabled us to enhance the quality of this paper. All authors have read and approved the published version of the manuscript. Despite the limited space, we apologize for any omissions.

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (No. 21Y31900100).