Resumen de Liquid Biopsies for Neuroendocrine Tumors: Circulating Tumor Cells, DNA, and MicroRNAs

Francesca Maria Rizzo, Tim Meyer

• Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a heterogeneous group of malignancies, with a variable prognosis and behavior, that to date have been mainly defined by tissue- based characteristics such as Ki67 index, grade, and morphology. Although there have been significant improvements in NET treatment over the last years, 1 challenges still exist with regard to patient stratification and in monitoring treatment. Novel bio- markers are, therefore, needed to aid in clinical decision making and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

  2 Biomarkers can be divided into 3 main subgroups: diag- nostic if they help to determine the presence and type of cancer, prognostic if they provide information on the patient’s overall cancer outcome, or predictive if they