A team of researchers has developed a method to assess cancer patients’ likelihood of responding to treatments or facing a recurrence of the disease.
Researchers from Iwate Medical University and Tohoku University have demonstrated that by examining circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) along with comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) data, it is feasible to predict both the likelihood of a cancer relapse and how well treatments might work.
The insights gained from CGP tests can inform personalized treatment strategies for patients with advanced cancer, focusing on linking them to the therapies that are most likely to improve their chances of survival. The research involved reviewing CGP results and medical records for 219 advanced cancer patients from Iwate Medical University, who were registered at the Center for Personalized Medicine at Tohoku University Hospital. Out of these individuals, only 14 (6.4%) received customized treatments based on their CGP results.
The researchers proposed that patients who underwent CGP could also have their ctDNA levels tracked using a technique called digital PCR (dPCR) with the Off The Shelf-assay (OTS-Assay). This assay was originally created at Iwate Medical University and has been clinically validated for various types of cancer. Further research is required to deepen our understanding and confirm its applicability for routine clinical use.
“Initially, we conduct CGP to identify the most suitable treatment options. Subsequently, we can use ctDNA to predict and monitor how well that treatment is working, as it detects tumor DNA present in the bloodstream, even in small quantities,” explained Satoshi Nishizuka from Iwate Medical University.
The clinical effectiveness of the OTS-Assay was evaluated regarding its ability to forecast early recurrences, assess responses to treatment, and validate the absence of relapse or growth. Monitoring ctDNA through dPCR was conducted with 11 patients, and impressively, 10 of these 11 patients (90.9%) experienced at least one confirmed outcome: prediction of early relapse, analysis of treatment response, or reassurance of no relapse or tumor growth.
This study highlighted that the combination of ctDNA monitoring via the OTS-Assay and CGP data can accurately predict outcomes across various cancer types. This development represents a notable advancement in the field of personalized medicine. Importantly, many patients who undergo CGP but do not receive suggested therapies (the remaining 93.6%) can still gain from ctDNA monitoring using the OTS-Assay, facilitating the evaluation of their cancer’s progression. Such personalized care could improve clinical management practices and ultimately benefit cancer patients worldwide.
