Although tumor cells are the most reliable source of tumor DNA, biopsy of the tumor is an invasive procedure that should be avoided in some cases. The main limitation of any biopsy is sampling of one tumor site, which may not represent all malignant clones due to the heterogeneity of the tumor. These clones respond to treatment differently and thus directly influence survival of the patient. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is released from multiple tumor sites, reflects overall heterogeneity of the tumor, and correlates with its progression. Detection of tumor-specific genetic and epigenetic aberrations in cfDNA could have a direct impact on molecular diagnosis, prognosis, follow-up of disease, monitoring of minimal residual disease, and response to treatment. While most cfDNA data are still experimental, they are very promising. This review focuses on cfDNA in hematological malignancies.

Department of Chemistry and Toxicology Veterinary Research Institute Brno Czech Republic

Experimental Oncology and Hematology Department of Oncology and Hematology Cantonal Hospital St Gallen St Gallen Switzerland

Faculty of Medicine Babak Myeloma Group Department of Pathological Physiology Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

Dynamics of tumor-specific cfDNA in response to therapy in multiple myeloma patients

Circulating exosomal long noncoding RNA PRINS-First findings in monoclonal gammopathies