Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Genomic profiling of breast tumour tissues has identified somatic genetic changes that take place in cancer, with new treatments being developed all the time based on this cancer genomic knowledge.

However, as cancers change and evolve over time simple, tissue biopsy may not reflect the genetic mutations in all parts of the cancer, and repeated tissue biopsy is not always possible to carry out. Liquid biopsies are blood based tests that are being investigated as an attractive source of circulating cancer biomarkers. These liquid biopsy blood based tests are easily repeatable, enabling a patient to be monitored over time without the need for tissue biopsy.

This public lecture will focus on analysis of two key liquid biopsy analytes - circulating tumour cells and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in the natural history of breast cancer. The lecture will highlight research carried out over the last 10 or so years that shows how these liquid biopsies can serve as non-invasive alternatives to surgical biopsies, and can help to guide treatment decisions and more personalised medicine.