Pros and cons of analysis methods used in liquid biopsies
| Analysis method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| qPCR | Good sensitivity and specificityWidely available | Limited to HTS and discovery studies |
| ddPCR | High sensitivity | Expensive |
| BEAming | Detection of ctDNA with very low mutant allele frequency | Expensive |
| NGS | High sensitivity | Bioinformatics support required |
| Identification of several miRNA variants | No automation | |
| Whole-genome sequencing | Wide application | Expensive |
| Time-consuming | ||
| Bioinformatics support required | ||
| CellSearch | FDA approved | Expensive |
| Good sensitivity and reproducibility | Limited to CTCs with high EpCAM levels | |
| False positives due to inflammation |
AP and IRS contributed conception and design of the manuscript. AP, IRS, MVAO, JR, RMM, AR and MT wrote sections of the manuscript. All authors contributed to manuscript revision, read and approved the submitted version.
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
© The Author(s) 2021.