Liquid biopsy = Individualized cancer management: Diagnosis, monitoring treatment and checking recurrence and metastasis

Traditional cancer-screening techniques such as imaging and protein biomarkers are not sufficient for early detection. Various forms of endoscopy and tumour biopsy are the current standard methods in diagnosing Head Neck Cancers. Liquid biopsy has been increasingly considered as an option for molecular characterization and detection of cancer as it can provide real-time information about cancer in a minimally invasive manner. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and exosomal miRNAs are emerging biomarkers that can be applied to cancer detection, treatment planning, and response monitoring. A 'liquid biopsy' presents an option where the disease can be tracked in a less-invasive, simple manner, allowing for serial sampling informing of the tumour heterogeneity, response to treatment and minimal residual disease.