The future of blood-based biomarkers in liver cancer.

Abstract

Liquid biomarkers hold substantial promise in liver cancer, with potential applications in risk stratification, surveillance and early detection, therapeutic decision-making, and treatment-response monitoring. In parallel with oncologic advances, liquid biopsy has gained increasing attention. However, despite expanded research efforts, prospective clinical validation remains limited. While cell-free DNA-based detection of actionable alterations has entered clinical practice in select contexts, most candidate liquid biomarkers still require rigorous evaluation through translational research embedded in clinical trials and prospective cohort studies. In this review, we summarise the current landscape of blood-based biomarkers across the cancer care continuum for individuals at risk, or diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma and biliary tract cancers, and discuss the key challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.