title: Cell-free DNA in the circulation as a potential cancer biomarker.
abstract: In the course of the search for new biomarkers, circulating cell-free DNA (ccf-DNA) has become a popular target of interest. An elevated level of ccf-DNA has been detected in the circulation of cancer patients in comparison with healthy controls. Since ccf-DNA in cancer patients often bears similar genetic and epigenetic features to the related tumor DNA, there is evidence that some of the ccf-DNA originates from tumoral tissue. This, and the fact that ccf-DNA can easily be isolated from the circulation and other body fluids of patients, makes it a promising candidate as a non-invasive biomarker of cancer. Yet ccf-DNA-based cancer tests have not come to fruitful clinical applications. This review evaluates the potential of ccf-DNA alterations as a biomarker for cancer management by addressing the question of how large the gap between ccf-DNA and the ideal cancer biomarker is.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Gynecological Oncology, Women's Hospital, Department of Research, University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kohler
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Barekati
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Radpour
authors.forename: Xiao Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004247:DNA