Assessment of the Efficacy of Circulating Tumor Cells by Liquid Biopsy in the Diagnosis and Prediction of Tumor Behavior of Gliomas: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In the realm of glioma management, the ability to accurately diagnose and predict tumor behavior remains a formidable task. Emerging as a beacon of hope, liquid biopsy (LB), with its potential to detect circulating tumor (CT) cells, offers a novel and promising avenue for addressing these challenges. This systematic review delves into the effectiveness of LB in transforming the landscape of glioma analysis as well as prognosis, shedding light on its clinical significance and implications. We conducted a comprehensive literature search from 2015 to 2023, using multiple sources. We assessed titles and abstracts first, followed by full-text review if they met our criteria. We included those studies that fulfill the inclusion criteria of the study. For bias assessment, we used a two-part tool for specific domains and a quality assessment tool for diagnostic accuracy studies. In this review, we incorporated eight studies. A total of 498 patients were identified across eight studies. The average sensitivity was 72.28% in seven of these studies, while the average specificity was 91.52% in the same seven studies. Our review revealed a sensitivity of 72.28% and an impressive specificity of 91.52%. This underscores the potential of LB as a valuable prognostic tool for detecting CT cells. However, the early detection of tumor cells and the prediction of tumor behavior in gliomas continue to be topics of debate, necessitating further research for more precise and reliable outcomes.

Keywords: biomarkers; central nervous system; circulating tumor; glioblastoma; glioblastoma multiforme; liquid biopsy.

Figure 1. The study assortment criteria for systematic review

Figure 2. Risk of bias: graphical representation of all the incorporated studies

References: [15-22]

Figure 3. Risk of bias: overall percentage of involved studies