The Emerging Role of Circulating Tumor DNA in the Management of Breast Cancer

SIMPLE SUMMARY: As breast cancer diagnoses continue to rise among women worldwide, it is important to explore and improve upon methods of diagnosis and surveillance. Liquid biopsies have the potential to become the forefront of such efforts, with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) increasingly being studied as a biomarker for breast cancer. This review aims to summarize the current applications of ctDNA in the diagnosis and surveillance of breast cancer. Additionally, comparisons between ctDNA and other currently utilized methods and biomarkers provide further insight into the emerging role of ctDNA for the management of breast cancer. ABSTRACT: With the incidence of breast cancer steadily rising, it is important to explore novel technologies that can allow for earlier detection of disease as well more a personalized and effective treatment approach. The concept of “liquid biopsies” and the data they provide have been increasingly studied in the recent decades. More specifically, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a potential biomarker for various cancers, including breast cancer. While methods such as mammography and tissue biopsies are the current standards for the detection and surveillance of breast cancer, ctDNA analysis has shown some promise. This review discusses the versatility of ctDNA by exploring its multiple emerging uses for the management of breast cancer. Its efficacy is also compared to current biomarkers and technologies.