Liquid Biopsy Applications in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Summary
Liquid biopsy encompasses the analysis of tumour-derived material circulating in the bloodstream, offering a non-invasive route to the detection, characterisation and monitoring of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Key analytes include cell-free DNA (cfDNA), circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs), each reflecting distinct biological processes. Mutation profiling of cfDNA enables the identification of tumour-specific genetic alterations, while methylation patterns augment sensitivity for early-stage disease. CTC enumeration and molecular characterisation provide insights into tumour heterogeneity, metastatic potential and resistance mechanisms. EV-associated cargo, such as proteins or nucleic acids, further expands the biomarker repertoire. Collectively, these approaches promise improved early detection, real-time monitoring of treatment response and prognostication, addressing the limitations of tissue biopsy and conventional serum markers in global clinical practice.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Liquid Biopsy Applications in Hepatocellular Carcinoma publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in liquid biopsy applications in hepatocellular carcinoma across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA): Fragments of DNA released into the bloodstream from apoptotic or necrotic cells, including non-tumour and tumour origins.
Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA): The fraction of cfDNA that carries tumour-specific genetic alterations such as mutations or copy number changes.
Circulating tumour cells (CTCs): Intact malignant cells shed from primary or metastatic lesions into the peripheral blood, allowing cellular enumeration and genomic profiling.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs): Nano- to micro-scale membrane-bound particles secreted by cells, carrying proteins, RNA and DNA reflective of the parental tumour cell.
Methylated DNA markers (MDMs): Specific CpG sites within the genome whose aberrant DNA methylation patterns are enriched in tumour-derived cfDNA.
Circulating Single-Molecule Amplification and Resequencing Technology (cSMART): A high-sensitivity method that amplifies and sequences individual DNA molecules to detect low-frequency mutations in cfDNA.
References
- The development of a cSMART-based integrated model for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis. Journal of Hematology & Oncology (2023).
- Cost‐Effective Identification of Hepatocellular Carcinoma from Cirrhosis or Chronic Hepatitis Virus Infection Using Eight Methylated Plasma DNA Markers. Advanced Science (2025).
- Circulating small extracellular vesicle-derived splicing factor 3b subunit 4 as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker of early hepatocellular carcinoma. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research (2023).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.