Comprehensive genomic profiling of true single circulating tumor cells (sCTCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) identified previously unrecognized mutational landscapes and tumor evolution patterns.
The study highlights the potential of single-cell circulating tumor cell genomics to capture tumor-derived genetic alterations directly from blood samples using liquid biopsy technologies.
Single-cell sequencing of CTCs revealed significant subclonal diversity, reflecting dynamic tumor evolution and genetic heterogeneity within individual HCC patients.
Many of these subclonal mutations and genomic alterations may contribute to disease progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Compared with conventional tissue-based sequencing, CTC-derived single-cell analysis provides a more dynamic representation of tumor biology by capturing evolving circulating tumor cell populations.
The findings demonstrate how liquid biopsy–based CTC genomics can provide real-time molecular insights into tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution.
This non-invasive approach supports precision monitoring of hepatocellular carcinoma, enabling earlier detection of molecular changes associated with disease progression.
Overall, CTC-based single-cell genomic profiling may help guide therapeutic stratification, biomarker discovery, and personalized treatment strategies in liver cancer management.
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