{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,25]],"date-time":"2026-04-25T06:03:52Z","timestamp":1777097032777,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":96,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,27]],"date-time":"2021-02-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1614384000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Genes"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The minimally\u2014or non-invasive detection of circulating tumor-derived components in biofluids, such as blood, liquid biopsy is a revolutionary approach with significant potential for the management of cancer. Genomic and transcriptomic alterations can be accurately detected through liquid biopsies, which provide a more comprehensive characterization of the heterogeneous tumor profile than tissue biopsies alone. Liquid biopsies could assist diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment selection, and hold great potential to complement current surveilling strategies to monitor disease evolution and treatment response in real-time. In particular, these are able to detect minimal residual disease, to predict progression, and to identify mechanisms of resistance, allowing to re-orient treatment strategies in a timelier manner. In this review we gathered current knowledge regarding the role and potential of liquid biopsies for the diagnosis and follow-up of cancer patients. The presented findings emphasize the strengths of liquid biopsies, revealing their chance of improving the diagnosis and monitoring of several tumor types in the near future. However, despite growing evidence supporting their value as a management tool in oncology, some limitations still need to be overcome for their implementation in the routine clinical setting.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/genes12030349","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,27]],"date-time":"2021-02-27T03:44:31Z","timestamp":1614397471000},"page":"349","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":174,"title":["Liquid Biopsies: Applications for Cancer Diagnosis and Monitoring"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5938-6193","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ivana","family":"Martins","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6096-8705","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ilda Patr\u00edcia","family":"Ribeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0755-8077","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joana","family":"Jorge","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory of Oncobiology and Haematology and University Clinic of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1470-4802","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Cristina","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory of Oncobiology and Haematology and University Clinic of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ana Bela","family":"Sarmento-Ribeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory of Oncobiology and Haematology and University Clinic of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Clinical Haematology Department, Coimbra University Hospital Centre (CHUC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Joana Barbosa","family":"Melo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Isabel Marques","family":"Carreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center of Investigation on Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2020). 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