The liquid biopsy: towards standardisation in preparation for prime time

The liquid biopsy holds potential as a more cost-effective, easier, and less invasive method for diagnosing and monitoring cancer, as well as predicting response, than currently available approaches (such as tissue biopsies or imaging scans). Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) are currently the most intensely investigated analytes, with some tests already approved in clinical practice (eg, the Cobas EGFR...