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Technical Aspects for the Evaluation of Circulating Nucleic Acids (CNAs): Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) and Circulating MicroRNAs

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Liquid Biopsy in Cancer Patients

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Pathology ((CCPATH))

Abstract

Circulating nucleic acids (CNAs), for example, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating microRNA (miRNA), represent promising biomarkers in several diseases including cancer. They can be isolated from many body fluids, such as blood, saliva, and urine. Also ascites, cerebrospinal fluids, and pleural effusion may be considered as a source of CNAs, but with several and intrinsic limitations. Therefore, blood withdrawal represents one of the best sources for CNAs due to the very simple and minimally invasive way of sampling. Moreover, it can be repeated at different time points, giving the opportunity for a real-time monitoring of the disease.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. M. Castiglia and A. Perez contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, Section of Medical Oncology, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 129, 90127, Palermo, Italy

    M. Castiglia, A. Perez, V. Bazan & Antonio Russo MD, PhD

  2. GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/ Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada Av. de la Ilustración, 114-18016, Granada, Spain

    M. J. Serrano

  3. Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Medicine, Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnology, University of Palermo – U.O.C. Laboratory Medicine – CoreLab, Policlinico University Hospital, Palermo, Italy

    M. Ciaccio

  4. Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicineand Center of Biotechnology, College of Science and Biotechnology, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    V. Bazan & Antonio Russo MD, PhD

Authors
  1. M. Castiglia
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  2. A. Perez
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  3. M. J. Serrano
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  4. M. Ciaccio
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  5. V. Bazan
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  6. Antonio Russo MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonio Russo MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Science and Technology, Temple University Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Antonio Russo

  2. Surgical and Oncological Sciences, University of Palermo School of Medicine, Palermo, Italy

    Antonio Giordano

  3. Oncology, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Antwerpen, Belgium

    Christian Rolfo

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Castiglia, M., Perez, A., Serrano, M.J., Ciaccio, M., Bazan, V., Russo, A. (2017). Technical Aspects for the Evaluation of Circulating Nucleic Acids (CNAs): Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) and Circulating MicroRNAs. In: Russo, A., Giordano, A., Rolfo, C. (eds) Liquid Biopsy in Cancer Patients. Current Clinical Pathology. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55661-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55661-1_6

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-55659-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-55661-1

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