Abstract

Delivering on the Promise: Progress and Pitfalls Demonstrating the Value of Liquid Biopsies in Improving Cancer Care

Ellen Beasley, Senior Vice President, Products and Services R&D, Genomic Health

Liquid biopsy products and applications have proliferated over the past several years, suggesting early enthusiasm for these non-invasive diagnostic tests was justified.  A broad variety of technologies are now being applied to critical decision points across the patient journey.  Early applications have focused on late stage cancer, when treatment selection is complex and tissue biopsy may be neither feasible nor representative.  More recently, several treatment monitoring assays have also been released and the promise of liquid biopsy for cancer screening may be tantalizingly close.  The impressive progress in the field of liquid biopsy is tempered by evolving standards of evidence to support physician adoption, guideline inclusion and reimbursement.  I will review some of the emerging trends in the field, new product applications and the technical and commercial challenges that players will need to continue to manage.