Cancer therapy is ever-evolving with new tests, treatments and pills- and in the middle of it is a revolutionary technology known as liquid biopsy. Just to think of a simple blood test that can diagnose cancer in its early stages, predict how a tumor will respond to treatment, and help doctors to change medications before cancer has a chance to develop anew. That's no longer science fiction anymore. Liquid biopsy is transforming the way we detect and treat cancer giving new hope to patients and changing the face of oncology.

Unlike earlier biopsies, in which tissue has to be taken from the tumor itself—usually through surgery or needle biopsies—a liquid biopsy is as easy as a blood test. This blood is then tested for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or shed tumor cells in the blood. These bits contain the genetic material of the tumor and enable physicians to learn about the molecular nature of the cancer without gaining direct access to the tumor.

The latest versions of this test can even identify small, sinister changes in proteins—providing important clues about what a tumor might do and whether it is developing resistance to therapy.

A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine which was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting illustrates just how potent liquid biopsy can be. The study involved individuals with estrogen-fueled metastatic breast cancer—a sub-type that is generally treated with medications that attack specific proteins on cancer cells.

With time, tumors evolve and these mutations can make treatments ineffective. In the research, scientists employed liquid biopsies to identify such protein mutations as far back as nine months prior to when they could be seen on conventional imaging scans. Early detection enabled doctors to change treatments preemptively—radically enhancing outcomes.

We have highly effective treatments, but they have to wear off," said Dr. Nicholas Turner, the study's co-author and a professor of molecular oncology at The Royal Marsden Hospital. "If we can pick up the changes early, we can move quickly—before the cancer does any more damage."

How Liquid Biopsies Could Enhance Outcomes?

The research had 315 patients, all of whom had acquired mutations following treatment. The liquid biopsy findings influenced a change in treatment in half of the cohort, with the other half retaining treatment as before.

Patients who had changed their treatment were twice as likely to maintain their tumors at bay in the coming year. Liquid biopsies could identify mutations up to nine months before conventional scans. In 10% of the volunteers, the test showed their treatment was no longer working, before symptoms or scans could detect it.

These results indicate a significant change in the way we monitor cancer and make medication changes—equipping clinicians and patients with sooner insights and more tailored treatment alternatives.

While this most recent study focused on breast cancer, liquid biopsy is being designed for a broad spectrum of cancers. A case in point is lung cancer, where liquid biopsies are already producing results 16 days sooner than traditional tissue biopsies, based on pilot data from the UK's National Health Service (NHS).

This quicker turnaround enables patients to initiate life-extending, targeted treatments sooner—potentially avoiding the lag that allows cancer to develop further.

NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, captured the potential of liquid biopsies perfectly:

"They are taking us into a new age of personalized cancer treatment… and we can see the difference this test is already making."

In 2022, Australian scientists reported in The New England Journal of Medicine that liquid biopsy could predict whether individuals with early-stage colon cancer required chemotherapy following surgery. This enabled numerous patients to safely avoid chemotherapy, sparing them its energy-sapping side effects without sacrificing for treatment effectiveness.

Dr. Jeanne Tie, senior research fellow at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia and lead author of the study, underlined that liquid biopsies could soon become routine tools in early cancer treatment and management, but availability still differs around the world.

How Does Liquid Biopsy Work?

The secret of this groundbreaking test is its capacity for analyzing ctDNA, or pieces of tumor DNA circulating in the bloodstream. These pieces provide a molecular snapshot of the tumor, exposing important genetic mutations that reveal:

• How aggressive the cancer is
• Whether it's responding to current treatment
• Which treatments are most likely to be effective

By detecting these changes earlier, liquid biopsies allow physicians to match patients with targeted treatments—drugs that are customized to a tumor's own individual genetic signature. Chief Scientific Officer for England Professor Dame Sue Hill welcomed this technology, "This technology is revolutionizing care and enabling clinicians to match patients sooner with potentially life-prolonging targeted therapies."

Liquid biopsy is not only a more accurate or quicker test—it's also cheaper and less invasive. One independent health economics review in the UK estimated that liquid biopsies would save the NHS as much as £11 million annually in lung cancer treatment alone.

Moreover, by minimizing the necessity for repeat scans, invasive biopsies, or cycles of unwanted chemotherapy, the test is also improving quality of life for many patients.

As the technology becomes even more advanced, researchers are looking to utilize it for:

• Pancreatic and gallbladder cancer
• Monitoring cancer growth and treatment response in real-time
• Screening healthy people for early cancer signs—before symptoms even begin

In the chain of news where many sports persons have been pulled up due to their anti-doping results, including Jannik Sinner, Tara Moore, and Ruth Chepngetich, Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak has also made news. Though her case differs, as she has been notified of an apparent anti-doping rule violation by the International Testing Agency (ITA).

As per ITA, Oleksiak committed three whereabout failures within a 12-month period between October 2024 and June 2025. Oleksiak of Toronto, who is a three-time Olympian, has accepted a voluntary provisional suspension pending the resolution of the matter.

The ITA gives her the right to explain why she had missed three whereabouts. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Oleksiak announced that she was withdrawing from the world championship and accepting a voluntary provisional suspension. Her post read: "I am and always have been a clean athlete". The post also noted that the case "does not involve any banned substance; it's about whether I updated my information correctly."

Swimming Canada also agreed and wrote: "We support her decision and believe she is a clean athlete who made an administrative mistake."

What Is A Whereabouts Case?

As per the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), whereabouts is information provided by athletes so Anti-Doping Organizations (ADO) can locate them for testing, particularly for out-of-competition testing.

Athletes who need to provide whereabouts information are usually part of a Registered Testing Pool (RTP).

A Whereabouts case is considered an anti-doping rule violation and can impact an athlete's eligibility, even if they haven’t used any banned substances. According to the World Anti-Doping Code, it involves any combination of three missed tests or filing failures within a 12-month period. According to World Aquatics, if an athlete in the testing pool submits "late, inaccurate or incomplete whereabouts that lead to [them] being unavailable for testing, [they] may receive a Filing Failure."

What Information Is Required For A Whereabout Case?

As per WADA, the RTP athletes are required to provide the following information to ADO:

• Home address, email address and phone number
• An overnight accommodation address
• Regular activities, such as training, work, school or University and their locations plus times they will be there
• Competition schedules including when they are taking place and where
• A 60-minute time slot for each day where they’ll be available and accessible for testing

What Are The Common Drugs Used By Swimmers?

As per the Anti-Doping Database, top three banned substances for swimmers are cannabis, methylhexaneamine, and nandrolone.

Surprisingly, cannabis is the top contender of all. It is most commonly detected substance among banned swimmers and is not an Anabolic Steroid, which are a class of drugs that are structurally linked to testosterone, which helps in muscle building. Cannabis is a cannabidiol. As per the data, swimmers from France comprise the largest group testing positive for this substance, followed by Italy, Spain, and Belgium.

"While investigations of whole cannabis and THC have generally shown either null or detrimental effects on exercise performance in strength and aerobic-type activities, studies of sufficient rigor and validity to conclusively declare ergogenic or ergolytic potential in athletes are lacking," notes a 2021 Study, published in Springer's Sports Medicine.

The second most common banned substance is Methylhexaneamine. It has resulted in bans for swimmers from Russia, India, and Poland. As per the National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, USA, it is an amphetamine derivative that has been widely used in sports supplements sold in the United States. It was placed under the WADA prohibition list in 2010 and is classified as a Non Specified Stimulant prohibited in-competition only. It is also a performance-enhancing substance.

Nandrolone, an Anabolic Steroid, notes the Anti-Doping Database, secures the third spot among top banned substances in summing. Athletes from Brazil, India, and Greece have tested positive for Nandrolone, a substance long associated with sports doping.

A 2020 study published in journal Medicina, notes, that skeletal muscle "can be" considered as the primary target tissue for nandrolone's effects. It can also increase muscle size and could be administered via injections, and is "metabolized in a similar manner to testosterone".

Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer shared an update about his health on Wednesday. He talked about his battle with prostate cancer.

Sandberg, 65, was diagnosed in January 2024 and in August, he announced that he was cancer-free. However, yet again, in December, not only had the cancer recurred, but it also spread to other organs.

In his recent post, he wrote: "I wanted to share an update regarding my health. It’s been a challenging few months as I have been going through treatment on a regular basis. While I am continuing to fight, I’m looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends."

He also noted that now that the cancer is back, his focus will be "back to more intensive treatment."

He also wrote about his first pitch at the Chicago Cubs home opener in April, "I haven’t been to Wrigley Field as much as I hoped in the first half, but I’m watching every game and am excited for the second half and to see Wrigley rocking like 1984! Thank you all for the messages of support. Go Cubs!"

How To Know If Prostate Cancer Has Returned?

As per the Prostate Cancer UK, recurrent prostate cancer is when your cancer comes back after you had a treatment that aimed to cure it. It is also known as prostate cancer recurrence or relapse.

While several treatments aim to get rid of prostate cancer, however, sometimes, it could be a cancer advanced than the first one and may not have been treated successfully.

A prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is a common test recommended for anyone who has had a prostate cancer, or may be diagnosed for the same. Even if you beat the cancer previously, this test is recommended as a regular, preventative medical examination, and post-cancer care. Usually, the first sign that your cancer has returned is a continuous rise in the level of PSA in your blood. While this test cannot show for certain if prostate cancer has come back, it can sign that cancer may have come back.

Other than that, symptoms like extreme fatigue, bone pain, and problems urinating are common for a prostate cancer relapse.

Where All Could Your Prostate Cancer Come Back?

Your prostate cancer could come back in the following area:

• In your prostate if it was not removed by surgery
• In the area around your prostate, where the prostate used to be, also called the prostate bed
• In the area just outside your prostate
• In other parts of your body, including bones and lymph nodes

What Are The Second-Line Treatments Available?

Treatments to Eliminate Prostate Cancer

External Beam Radiotherapy

This treatment uses high-energy X-ray beams to target and destroy cancer cells. It can be given on its own or alongside hormone therapy.

Permanent Seed Brachytherapy

Tiny radioactive seeds are implanted directly into the prostate, where they slowly release radiation to kill cancer cells.

High Dose-Rate Brachytherapy

Thin tubes are inserted into the prostate, and a high dose of radiation is delivered for a few minutes through these tubes. The tubes are then removed.

Radical Prostatectomy (Surgery)

This involves surgically removing the prostate gland along with the cancer inside it.

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)

HIFU uses focused ultrasound waves to heat and destroy cancer cells in the prostate. As a newer treatment option, it may not be widely available and is often offered only through clinical trials.

Cryotherapy

This method freezes and destroys cancer cells using extreme cold. Like HIFU, it’s a newer treatment and may only be accessible through clinical trials or at specialized centers.

Treatments to Manage or Control Prostate Cancer

Hormone Therapy

This works by either reducing testosterone levels or blocking it from reaching cancer cells, since prostate cancer typically needs testosterone to grow.

Radiotherapy with Hormone Therapy

This combination can help control cancer that has spread beyond the prostate. One example is Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). However, this approach isn’t suitable for everyone.

Chemotherapy

Anti-cancer drugs are used to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy is sometimes given alongside hormone therapy. Because it can cause serious side effects, it’s important that you’re healthy enough to tolerate the treatment.

A new peer-reviewed study published recently has sparked alarm regarding the connection between Pfizer's mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and the occurrence of a rare but severe eye disorder, superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis (SLK). In an article published in the Cureus peer-reviewed medical journal, researchers highlighted an emerging trend of eye inflammation and malfunction after COVID-19 vaccination, more so among those with pre-existing autoimmune conditions.

Although the general risk seems to be low, the study emphasizes the significance of post-vaccine surveillance and the need for physicians and ophthalmologists to take recent vaccination status into account when diagnosing unexplained eye symptoms. Pfizer remains silent about the findings of cases.

Researchers at a Turkish medical institution analyzed 64 individuals—128 eyes—before and after they received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Two months after the second dose, the researchers documented measurable changes in the cornea’s endothelium, the innermost layer that plays a critical role in maintaining corneal clarity. Significant changes noted were:

• Thickening of the cornea from a mean of 528 to 542 micrometers
• An 8% reduction in endothelial cells from 2,597 to 2,378 cells/mm²
• A 2% reduction in healthy hexagon-shaped cells
• Greater variation in cell size, which may indicate cellular stress or damage

Although the study had no immediate detection of visual impairment among the participants, the scientists observed these changes as possible harbingers of long-term dysfunction, particularly among individuals with pre-existing eye problems.

Why Is the Corneal Endothelium Important?

The endothelium is a single-cell layer responsible for pumping excess fluid out of the cornea to keep it transparent. Unlike most other cells in the body, these cells don’t regenerate. Once they’re damaged, the surrounding cells stretch to fill the gaps—leading to irregularity in cell shape and size, which was observed in this study. A low cell count or disorganized endothelial layer can result in conditions like:

Corneal edema: Swelling that causes blurred or hazy vision

Bullous keratopathy: Painful blisters on the eye surface

Corneal decompensation: Permanent loss of clarity, potentially requiring a transplant

While healthy adults can often tolerate mild changes, individuals with already low endothelial cell counts, due to aging, Fuchs’ dystrophy, prior surgeries, or eye trauma—could be more vulnerable.

Researchers emphasized that these effects could be temporary, and long-term follow-up is essential to determine whether the changes persist or resolve on their own. They advised individuals with low endothelial counts or past corneal grafts to undergo more frequent checkups following vaccination, including specular microscopy, a non-invasive scan that measures endothelial health.

What We Know About Vaccine's Side Effects

The findings contribute to a broader conversation around vaccine safety, particularly concerning rare but notable adverse effects. In 2021, U.S. regulators added myocarditis and pericarditis warnings to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, mostly affecting men aged 16 to 25.

While such side effects remain rare, increased transparency and post-market surveillance have become crucial for maintaining public trust. The Turkish corneal study does not accuse Pfizer of negligence, nor does it dispute the vaccine's life-saving role during the pandemic. However, it adds new dimensions to ongoing risk-benefit assessments, especially for individuals with specific medical histories.

Should You Be Worried?

For most people, especially those without underlying eye conditions, the reported corneal changes likely have little or no practical impact. The measured drop in endothelial cells still kept participants well within the healthy range (above 2,000 cells/mm²).

But if you’ve had previous eye surgery, a corneal transplant, or conditions like Fuchs' dystrophy, it’s worth discussing this study with your ophthalmologist. You may be advised to monitor corneal health pre- and post-vaccination.

Also, while the study used robust diagnostic tools—like Sirius corneal topography and the Tomey EM-4000 specular microscope—the sample size of 64 participants is small. Larger, multicenter studies will be essential to confirm and further interpret the findings.

The researchers made it clear that they are not advising against vaccination. Instead, they are calling for more expansive, longitudinal studies to investigate whether these changes persist, worsen, or reverse over time.

Their key recommendation: monitor individuals who are already at elevated ophthalmic risk. If changes continue to be found months or years after vaccination, guidelines may need adjusting—not to limit vaccination, but to ensure it’s done as safely as possible for all populations.

In the meantime, healthcare providers may consider integrating corneal health screenings into vaccination protocols for high-risk individuals, just as cardiology screenings were emphasized after early reports of vaccine-linked myocarditis.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine remains a vital tool in global health, but emerging research like this adds nuance to the story. The Turkish study’s findings are not a cause for panic, but they are a signal for further investigation, especially in populations with vulnerable eye health.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how science evolves in real-time—and this study is another chapter in that unfolding story. As always, the best course of action is informed dialogue between patients and healthcare professionals.

If you have a history of eye disease or corneal surgery, consider scheduling an eye exam before and after vaccination—and don’t skip follow-ups. Your vision is worth the extra look.