Clinical utility and advances of liquid biopsy in hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- 1Graduate Training Base of Jinzhou Medical University (Chaoyang Central Hospital), Chaoyang, Liaoning, China
- 2Department of Head and Neck Surgery Ward, Chaoyang Central Hospital of China Medical University, Chaoyang, Liaoning, China
- 3Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
Abstract
Background: Hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HPC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis due to difficult early diagnosis, frequent recurrence, and distant metastasis. Although surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy have progressed, accurate prognostic assessment and real-time monitoring remain limited. Liquid biopsy, a minimally invasive method detecting circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumour cells (CTCs), and microRNAs (miRNAs), shows promise in solid tumours, but its role in HPC is underexplored.
Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted up to September 2025 following PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies evaluated ctDNA, CTCs, or miRNAs for diagnosis, treatment monitoring, or prognosis of HPC, reporting sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, or hazard ratio for meta-analysis.
Results: Twenty-four studies with 933 patients were included. Pooled estimates showed sensitivity 88.3% (95% CI: 84.7-91.6) and specificity 95.9% (95% CI: 93.3-97.9), with predictive intervals sensitivity 0.74-0.98 and specificity 0.85-1. Heterogeneity was moderate (I2 sensitivity = 52.3%; specificity = 48.5%), and no publication bias was observed. Subgroup analyses indicated ctDNA was advantageous for treatment monitoring, CTCs were consistent in prognosis, and miRNAs were strong candidates due to stability and detection sensitivity. Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness.
Conclusions: Liquid biopsy shows strong potential for diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis in HPC. Large-scale, multicentre studies are required to validate its clinical application and integration into patient-management pathways.
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BibTeX
@article{liang2026clinical,
title = {{Clinical utility and advances of liquid biopsy in hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis}},
author = {Jing Liang and Yilang Wang and Liangyu Zou and Jianing Zhang and Lianhe Li},
journal = {Acta Otorhinolaryngologica Italica},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.14639/0392-100x-a1729},
url = {https://doi.org/10.14639/0392-100x-a1729},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Clinical utility and advances of liquid biopsy in hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
AU - Jing Liang
AU - Yilang Wang
AU - Liangyu Zou
AU - Jianing Zhang
AU - Lianhe Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/30
JO - Acta Otorhinolaryngologica Italica
DO - 10.14639/0392-100x-a1729
UR - https://doi.org/10.14639/0392-100x-a1729
AB - Background: Hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HPC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis due to difficult early diagnosis, frequent recurrence, and distant metastasis. Although surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy have progressed, accurate prognostic assessment and real-time monitoring remain limited. Liquid biopsy, a minimally invasive method detecting circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumour cells (CTCs), and microRNAs (miRNAs), shows promise in solid tumours, but its role in HPC is underexplored. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted up to September 2025 following PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies evaluated ctDNA, CTCs, or miRNAs for diagnosis, treatment monitoring, or prognosis of HPC, reporting sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, or hazard ratio for meta-analysis. Results: Twenty-four studies with 933 patients were included. Pooled estimates showed sensitivity 88.3% (95% CI: 84.7-91.6) and specificity 95.9% (95% CI: 93.3-97.9), with predictive intervals sensitivity 0.74-0.98 and specificity 0.85-1. Heterogeneity was moderate (I2 sensitivity = 52.3%; specificity = 48.5%), and no publication bias was observed. Subgroup analyses indicated ctDNA was advantageous for treatment monitoring, CTCs were consistent in prognosis, and miRNAs were strong candidates due to stability and detection sensitivity. Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness. Conclusions: Liquid biopsy shows strong potential for diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis in HPC. Large-scale, multicentre studies are required to validate its clinical application and integration into patient-management pathways.
SN - 0392-100X
SN - 1827-675X
ER -