Early liquid biopsy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: insights from the LIBELULE trial

Abstract

The phase III LIBELULE trial assessed the clinical impact of implementing early liquid biopsy (LB) in patients with suspected advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While the study did not meet its primary endpoint—reducing time-to-treatment initiation (TTI) in the intention-to-treat population—it provided critical insights into the role of LB in precision oncology. In particular, early LB was associated with significant benefits in subgroups of patients, such as those with non-squamous histology, those requiring systemic therapy, and those harboring actionable genomic alterations.