1. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis is a powerful tool for non-invasive detection of cancer.
2. DNA-methylation (DNAm) from cfDNA samples holds great promise due to its intrinsic characteristics being more prevalent, pervasive, and cell- and tumor-type specific than genomics.
3. This article provides an overview on existing studies exploiting cell-free DNAm biomarkers for the detection and monitoring of cancer in early and advanced settings, for the evaluation of drug resistance, and for the identification of the cell-of-origin of tumors.
This article provides a comprehensive overview on recent advances in experimental strategies for the analysis of DNA methylation in cfDNA samples. The authors provide detailed descriptions on the main steps of DNAm-based analysis workflows, including pre-analytics of cfDNA samples, DNA treatment, assays for DNAm evaluation, and methods for data analysis. They also provide an overview on existing studies exploiting cell-free DNAm biomarkers for various applications such as detecting and monitoring cancer in early and advanced settings, evaluating drug resistance, and identifying the cell-of-origin of tumors.
The article is well written with clear explanations on each step involved in analyzing cfDNA samples for DNA methylation. The authors have provided detailed information on protocols, biomolecular techniques, computational strategies enabling DNAm evaluation in the context of cfDNA analysis along with practical considerations on input sample requirements and costs. Furthermore, they have also reported on clinically approved tests based on this technology along with their performance in liquid biopsy contexts.
The article appears to be reliable as it is based on established research findings from peer reviewed journals which are cited throughout the text. The authors have also provided a comprehensive list of references at the end which further adds to its credibility. However, there is no mention about potential biases or risks associated with this technology which could be explored further by future research studies.