Bioinformatics-Based Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells: A Methodological Overview of Personalized Cancer Treatment

Abstract

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are capable of providing valuable insights throughout the course of a patient’s disease, even during the early stages of cancer. CTCs have recently gained significant interest for their potential for advancing personalized cancer treatment studies. Despite the challenges associated with their detection and analysis, emerging bioinformatics methodologies and technologies have enhanced the understanding of these cells and their role in cancer metastasis. This paper provides a methodological overview of these bioinformatics methodologies, particularly focusing on the computational analysis of CTCs and its implications for personalized cancer treatment strategies. Additionally, the paper highlights the importance of refining current techniques and need for a further development to overcome the limitations of liquid biopsies, such as their limited sensitivity in detecting low-abundance biomolecules. With this overview, we aim to show the transformative potential of CTC analysis combined with bioinformatics, providing valuable insights for future research and clinical applications in cancer immunotherapy and personalized medicine.