Editorial: Early detection, cancer interception, et al.: translating the multifaceted use of liquid biopsy to the management of early disease

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Early detection is crucial for cancer outcomes, yet many patients with localized disease develop metastatic relapse after treatment.
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Liquid biopsy enables the identification of tumor-derived signals in body fluids, facilitating the concept of minimal residual disease (MRD).
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Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the most studied analyte for MRD detection, allowing for early identification of molecular relapse.
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Multi-cancer early detection (MCED) approaches are being evaluated for their ability to detect pre-malignant lesions and reduce false positives.
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Liquid biopsy shows broad applicability across tumor types, emphasizing the need for assay standardization and prospective validation.

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