Dr. Petrylak on the Utility of Tissue Versus Liquid Biopsy in Prostate Cancer

Daniel P. Petrylak, MD, professor of medicine and urology and co-leader of Cancer Signaling Networks with Yale Cancer Center, as well as a 2017 Giant of Cancer Care® in Genitourinary Cancers, discusses the utility of tissue biopsy versus liquid biopsy in prostate cancer.

Tissue-based and liquid-based testing assays offer different advantages and disadvantages. However, tissue testing is preferrable in most scenarios, according to Petrylak.

Tissue testing allows a comprehensive view of the mutations and heterogeneity of the tumor, Petrylak says. Conversely, liquid biopsy may offer more homologous findings that show whether a tumor expresses a particular mutation.

However, tissue-based bone biopsy in prostate cancer remains a challenge.

Currently, biomarkers such as DNA repair mutations are used to inform treatment. Additionally, prostate-specific membrane antigen and androgen receptor mutations serve as more investigational biomarkers for targeted therapy, concludes Petrylak.