Cell-Free DNA: Hope and Potential Application in Cancer

Yan-Yan Yan; Qiao-Ru Guo; Feng-Hua Wang; Rameshwar Adhikari; Zhuang-Yan Zhu; Hai-Yan Zhang; Wen-Min Zhou; Hua Yu; Jing-Quan Li; Jian-Ye Zhang

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.639233

Cell-Free DNA: Hope and Potential Application in Cancer

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Feb 22:9:639233. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.639233. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Yan-Yan Yan^{1

2}, Qiao-Ru Guo^{2

3}, Feng-Hua Wang⁴, Rameshwar Adhikari⁵, Zhuang-Yan Zhu¹, Hai-Yan Zhang¹, Wen-Min Zhou², Hua Yu⁶, Jing-Quan Li³, Jian-Ye Zhang^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China.
² Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
³ The First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
⁴ Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics/Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
⁵ Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, China.

Abstract

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is easily accessible in peripheral blood and can be used as biomarkers for cancer diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics. The applications of cfDNA in various areas of cancer management are attracting attention. In this review article, we discuss the potential relevance of using cfDNA analysis in clinical oncology, particularly in cancer screening, early diagnosis, therapeutic evaluation, monitoring disease progression; and determining disease prognosis.

Keywords: cancer; cell-free DNA (cfDNA); diagnosis; liquid biopsy; therapeutic effect evaluation.

Publication types

Review