title: Liquid Biopsy: A Future Tool for Posttreatment Surveillance in Head and Neck Cancer?
abstract: The prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is largely based on disease stage. Despite improvements in treatment, recurrence rates are still considered high. Currently, disease progression or regression after curative treatment is monitored by clinical evaluation combined with flexible endoscopy and/or imaging. However, specificity of imaging is low due to the posttreatment effects. Detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from blood samples of HNSCC patients is a minimally invasive technique that could lead to an earlier detection of recurrence. In addition, digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) could be used to sensitively detect these mutational targets. Future study on ctDNA using ddPCR in blood samples of HNSCC patients is recommended during the follow-up stage to detect recurrences in a timely manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Utrecht Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joost H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: van Ginkel
authors.forename: Manon M H
authors.initials: MMH
authors.lastname: Huibers
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noorlag
authors.forename: Remco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Bree
authors.forename: Robert J J
authors.initials: RJJ
authors.lastname: van Es
authors.forename: Stefan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Willems
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000073890:Liquid Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics*; D057188:Workflow
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
keywords: Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction; Head and neck cancer; Liquid biopsy; Posttreatment surveillance