Two and ½ years ago, myself and the leadership at Teen Cancer America created the first Liquid Biopsy Summit. The idea was to explain what liquid biopsies are in non-lofty language and show folks why they are so potentially significant in the burgeoning world of personalized cancer medicine.
A liquid biopsy is a relatively simple, non-invasive alternative to surgical biopsies which enables doctors to discover a broad range of information about a tumor through a blood sample.
Traces of the cancer’s DNA in the blood can give valuable clues about which treatments are most likely to work for that patient, and much more.
Ever since I first learned about this technology, I have kept a close eye on its progress. The industry has grown enormously since that Summit and has become an increasingly integral component of precision cancer medicine.
Thanks to positive results in labs and in the clinic, the global liquid biopsy sector is now valued at $10.85 billion in 2023. It is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.61% from 2024 to 2033, reaching an estimated USD 32.54 billion by 2033.
This growth is primarily attributed to the rising prevalence of cancer and the great demand for quicker, less invasive diagnostic options. Cancer patients crave better and less invasive technologies.
Competition is Intense
It should not surprise anyone that this space is growing increasingly competitive. But the way we see it, the competition is healthy as each company offers their technologies.
We should welcome all legitimate liquid biopsy companies and give them a chance to show us what they can do for you. Competition is healthy as long as it remains ethical.
Impressively Large Study
The biggest news is a study led by a research group out of National Cancer Center Hospital East in Kashiwa, Japan, which investigated the effects of personalized treatment based on results of the Guardant360 CDx test in 4,037 patients with advanced cancer.
The results showed that 24% of participants were able to receive targeted treatment tailored to them based on comprehensive genomic profiling results from the test, which analyzes 74 cancer-related genes. The patients who received targeted treatment guided by liquid biopsy results lived approximately twice as long as those who did not.
“Compared to conventional tissue biopsies, liquid biopsies have several advantages: they are less invasive for patients, allow for repeated testing, and can simultaneously examine cancer characteristics from various parts of the body. However, until now, it was unclear whether treatment selection using liquid biopsies actually helped improve patient outcomes,” said Yoshiaki Nakamura, MD, PhD, Chief, International Research Promotion Office, Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology at National Cancer Center Hospital East, and a co-lead author of the study.
“The GOZILA study is the first to demonstrate the survival-extending effect of liquid biopsy-based personalized cancer treatment on a large scale across various cancers. The results of this study have the potential to bring about a paradigm shift in cancer treatment.”
Eagle noted that the GOZILA study adds significantly to the body of evidence supporting the clinical utility of the Guardant360 CDx liquid biopsy to guide therapy selection in advanced cancer.
The positive study findings are expected to advance liquid biopsy-guided cancer treatment to help improve outcomes for more patients.
“These study results confirm, across a large study population and multiple tumor types, that personalized therapy guided by liquid biopsy has the potential to significantly extend patient survival,” Dr. Craig Eagle, Chief Medical Officer at Guardant Health, told Breaking Cancer News.
The CMO Weighs In
“For patients living with advanced cancer, selecting the correct targeted therapy is critical in achieving optimal outcomes that help patients live longer,” Dr. Eagle said.
“The GOZILA study results demonstrate the value of Guardant360 CDx as a tool for oncologists and care teams to use when evaluating treatment approaches, confirming the efficacy of a less invasive liquid biopsy to deliver comprehensive genomic profiling.”
Eagle added that with continued positive data for Guardant360 CDx and other Guardant Health products, “We are confident that our innovative data-driven diagnostics continue to provide critical bridges for delivering timely personalized therapy with improved outcomes for advanced cancer patients.”
