1
|
Stibbards-Lyle M, Malinovska J, Badawy S, Schedin P, Rinker KD. Status of breast cancer detection in young women and potential of liquid biopsy. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1398196. [PMID: 38835377 PMCID: PMC11148378 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1398196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Young onset breast cancer (YOBC) is an increasing demographic with unique biology, limited screening, and poor outcomes. Further, women with postpartum breast cancers (PPBCs), cancers occurring up to 10 years after childbirth, have worse outcomes than other young breast cancer patients matched for tumor stage and subtype. Early-stage detection of YOBC is critical for improving outcomes. However, most young women (under 45) do not meet current age guidelines for routine mammographic screening and are thus an underserved population. Other challenges to early detection in this population include reduced performance of standard of care mammography and reduced awareness. Women often face significant barriers in accessing health care during the postpartum period and disadvantaged communities face compounding barriers due to systemic health care inequities. Blood tests and liquid biopsies targeting early detection may provide an attractive option to help address these challenges. Test development in this area includes understanding of the unique biology involved in YOBC and in particular PPBCs that tend to be more aggressive and deadly. In this review, we will present the status of breast cancer screening and detection in young women, provide a summary of some unique biological features of YOBC, and discuss the potential for blood tests and liquid biopsy platforms to address current shortcomings in timely, equitable detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maya Stibbards-Lyle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Research Lab, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Julia Malinovska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Research Lab, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Seleem Badawy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Research Lab, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Pepper Schedin
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Kristina D Rinker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Research Lab, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hu X, Zhang H, Wang Y, Lin Y, Li Q, Li L, Zeng G, Ou R, Cheng X, Zhang Y, Jin X. Effects of blood-processing protocols on cell-free DNA fragmentomics in plasma: Comparisons of one- and two-step centrifugations. Clin Chim Acta 2024; 560:119729. [PMID: 38754575 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2024.119729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentomic characteristics are promising analytes with abundant physiological signals for non-invasive disease diagnosis and monitoring. Previous studies on plasma cfDNA fragmentomics commonly employed a two-step centrifugation process for removing cell debris, involving a low-speed centrifugation followed by a high-speed centrifugation. However, the effects of centrifugation conditions on the analysis of cfDNA fragmentome remain uncertain. METHODS We collected blood samples from 10 healthy individuals and divided each sample into two aliquots for plasma preparation with one- and two-step centrifugation processes. We performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the plasma cfDNA in the two groups and comprehensively compared the cfDNA fragmentomic features. Additionally, we reanalyzed the fragmentomic features of cfDNA from 16 healthy individuals and 16 COVID-19 patients, processed through one- and two-step centrifugation in our previous study, to investigate the impact of centrifugation on disease signals. RESULTS Our results showed that there were no significant differences observed in the characteristics of nuclear cfDNA, including size, motif diversity score (MDS) of end motifs, and genome distribution, between plasma samples treated with one- and two-step centrifugation. The cfDNA size shortening in COVID-19 patients was observed in plasma samples with one- and two-step centrifugation methods. However, we observed a significantly higher relative abundance and longer size of cell-free mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the one-step samples compared to the two-step samples. This difference in mtDNA caused by the one- and two-step centrifugation methods surpasses the pathological difference between COVID-19 patients and healthy individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that one-step low-speed centrifugation is a simple and potentially suitable method for analyzing nuclear cfDNA fragmentation characteristics. These results offer valuable guidance for cfDNA research in various clinical scenarios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xintao Hu
- Engineering Research Center of Text Computing & Cognitive Intelligence, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Intelligent Medical Image Analysis and Precise Diagnosis of Guizhou Province, State Key Laboratory of Public Big Data, College of Computer Science and Technology, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | | | | | - Yu Lin
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Qiuyan Li
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | | | | | - Rijing Ou
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Xinyu Cheng
- Engineering Research Center of Text Computing & Cognitive Intelligence, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Intelligent Medical Image Analysis and Precise Diagnosis of Guizhou Province, State Key Laboratory of Public Big Data, College of Computer Science and Technology, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Xin Jin
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China; School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Heestermans R, Schots R, De Becker A, Van Riet I. Liquid Biopsies as Non-Invasive Tools for Mutation Profiling in Multiple Myeloma: Application Potential, Challenges, and Opportunities. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5208. [PMID: 38791247 PMCID: PMC11121516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, the survival of multiple myeloma (MM) patients has considerably improved. However, despite the availability of new treatments, most patients still relapse and become therapy-resistant at some point in the disease evolution. The mutation profile has an impact on MM patients' outcome, while typically evolving over time. Because of the patchy bone marrow (BM) infiltration pattern, the analysis of a single bone marrow sample can lead to an underestimation of the known genetic heterogeneity in MM. As a result, interest is shifting towards blood-derived liquid biopsies, which allow for a more comprehensive and non-invasive genetic interrogation without the discomfort of repeated BM aspirations. In this review, we compare the application potential for mutation profiling in MM of circulating-tumor-cell-derived DNA, cell-free DNA and extracellular-vesicle-derived DNA, while also addressing the challenges associated with their use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robbe Heestermans
- Department of Clinical Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Hematology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- Translational Oncology Research Center (Team Hematology and Immunology), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rik Schots
- Department of Hematology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- Translational Oncology Research Center (Team Hematology and Immunology), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ann De Becker
- Department of Hematology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- Translational Oncology Research Center (Team Hematology and Immunology), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ivan Van Riet
- Department of Hematology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- Translational Oncology Research Center (Team Hematology and Immunology), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Peng H, Pan M, Zhou Z, Chen C, Xing X, Cheng S, Zhang S, Zheng H, Qian K. The impact of preanalytical variables on the analysis of cell-free DNA from blood and urine samples. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1385041. [PMID: 38784382 PMCID: PMC11111958 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1385041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA), a burgeoning class of molecular biomarkers, has been extensively studied across a variety of biomedical fields. As a key component of liquid biopsy, cfDNA testing is gaining prominence in disease detection and management due to the convenience of sample collection and the abundant wealth of genetic information it provides. However, the broader clinical application of cfDNA is currently impeded by a lack of standardization in the preanalytical procedures for cfDNA analysis. A number of fundamental challenges, including the selection of appropriate preanalytical procedures, prevention of short cfDNA fragment loss, and the validation of various cfDNA measurement methods, remain unaddressed. These existing hurdles lead to difficulties in comparing results and ensuring repeatability, thereby undermining the reliability of cfDNA analysis in clinical settings. This review discusses the crucial preanalytical factors that influence cfDNA analysis outcomes, including sample collection, transportation, temporary storage, processing, extraction, quality control, and long-term storage. The review provides clarification on achievable consensus and offers an analysis of the current issues with the goal of standardizing preanalytical procedures for cfDNA analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Peng
- Department of Biological Repositories, Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Pan
- Taihe Skills Training Center, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Zongning Zhou
- Department of Biological Repositories, Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Congbo Chen
- Department of Urology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Xing Xing
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Shaoping Cheng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- Department of Biological Repositories, Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hang Zheng
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaiyu Qian
- Department of Biological Repositories, Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Morisi N, Virzì GM, Ferrarini M, Alfano G, Zanella M, Ronco C, Donati G. Exploring the Role of Cell-Free Nucleic Acids and Peritoneal Dialysis: A Narrative Review. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:553. [PMID: 38790182 PMCID: PMC11121405 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cell-free nucleic acids (cf-NAs) represent a promising biomarker of various pathological and physiological conditions. Since its discovery in 1948, cf-NAs gained prognostic value in oncology, immunology, and other relevant fields. In peritoneal dialysis (PD), blood purification is performed by exposing the peritoneal membrane. Relevant sections: Complications of PD such as acute peritonitis and peritoneal membrane aging are often critical in PD patient management. In this review, we focused on bacterial DNA, cell-free DNA, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), microRNA (miRNA), and their potential uses as biomarkers for monitoring PD and its complications. For instance, the isolation of bacterial DNA in early acute peritonitis allows bacterial identification and subsequent therapy implementation. Cell-free DNA in peritoneal dialysis effluent (PDE) represents a marker of stress of the peritoneal membrane in both acute and chronic PD complications. Moreover, miRNA are promising hallmarks of peritoneal membrane remodeling and aging, even before its manifestation. In this scenario, with multiple cytokines involved, mtDNA could be considered equally meaningful to determine tissue inflammation. CONCLUSIONS This review explores the relevance of cf-NAs in PD, demonstrating its promising role for both diagnosis and treatment. Further studies are necessary to implement the use of cf-NAs in PD clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Morisi
- Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences Department (CHIMOMO), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (N.M.)
| | - Grazia Maria Virzì
- Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplant, St. Bortolo Hospital, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
- IRRIV-International Renal Research Institute Vicenza-Foundation, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
| | - Marco Ferrarini
- Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences Department (CHIMOMO), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (N.M.)
| | - Gaetano Alfano
- Nephrology Dialysis and Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy
| | - Monica Zanella
- Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplant, St. Bortolo Hospital, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
- IRRIV-International Renal Research Institute Vicenza-Foundation, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
| | - Claudio Ronco
- IRRIV-International Renal Research Institute Vicenza-Foundation, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
| | - Gabriele Donati
- Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences Department (CHIMOMO), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (N.M.)
- Nephrology Dialysis and Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Terp SK, Pedersen IS, Stoico MP. Extraction of Cell-Free DNA: Evaluation of Efficiency, Quantity, and Quality. J Mol Diagn 2024; 26:310-319. [PMID: 38336350 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2024.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) serves as a valuable biomarker for early disease detection and monitoring. However, the use of cfDNA for analysis faces challenges owing to general low but variable abundance and fragmentation. Preanalytical factors, including cfDNA extraction, impact cfDNA quality and quantity. Efficient and robust cfDNA extraction is essential for reliable results in downstream applications, and various commercial extraction methods exist, each with trade-offs. To aid researchers and clinicians in choosing the proper cfDNA extraction method, manual, semiautomated, and automated methods were evaluated, including the QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit (manual and QIAcube), QIAamp MinElute ccfDNA Kit (QIAcube), and QIAsymphony DSP Circulating DNA Kit (QIAsymphony). For each extraction method, cfDNA was extracted on two separate days, using samples obtained from 18 healthy donors. This study assessed extraction efficiency, quantity, and quality using droplet digital PCR and TapeStation. The QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit, both manual and semiautomated, outperformed the QIAamp MinElute ccfDNA Kit (QIAcube) and QIAsymphony DSP Circulating DNA Kit (QIAsymphony), showing higher recovery rates and cfDNA quantity. All methods were reproducible, with no day-to-day variability and no contamination by high-molecular-weight DNA. The QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit offers high yield without compromising quality. Implementation of the method should consider specific study and clinical needs, taking into account each method's advantages and limitations for optimal outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone K Terp
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Clinical Cancer Research Center, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
| | - Inge S Pedersen
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Clinical Cancer Research Center, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Malene P Stoico
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Clinical Cancer Research Center, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang Q, Du Z, Wang X, Li F, Liu Y, Sun J, Zhang L, Xiao Y, Lu X, Yu H, Liu T. Cell-free Nucleic Acid as Promising Diagnostic Biomarkers for Gastric Cancer: a Systematic Review. J Cancer 2024; 15:2900-2912. [PMID: 38706900 PMCID: PMC11064260 DOI: 10.7150/jca.92704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a common malignancy with early detection being crucial for survival. Liquid biopsy analysis using cell-free nucleic acid is a preferred method for detection. Hence, we conducted a systematic review to assess the diagnostic efficacy of cell-free nucleic acid markers for GC. Methods: We searched PubMed and ISI Web of Science databases for articles that conformed to our inclusion and exclusion criteria from 2012 to 2022. The following information was abstracted: first author, year of publication, country/region, age, male proportion, tumor stage for cases, specimen type, measurement method, targeted markers and diagnostic related indicators (including sensitivity, specificity, AUC, P-value). Results: Fifty-eight studies examined cell-free RNAs (cfRNAs) with a total of 62 individual circulating markers and 7 panels in serum or plasma, while 21 studies evaluated cell-free DNAs (cfDNAs) with 29 individual circulating markers and 7 panels. For individual cfRNAs, the median (range) sensitivity and specificity were 80% (21% - 98%) and 80% (54% - 99%), respectively. The median (range) sensitivity and specificity for cfRNA panels were 86% (83% - 90%) and 75% (60% - 98%), respectively. In comparison, the median (range) sensitivity and specificity reported for individual cfDNAs were 50% (18% - 96%) and 93% (57% - 100%), respectively, while cfDNA panels had a median (range) sensitivity and specificity of 85% (41% - 92%) and 73.5% (38% - 90%), respectively. The meta results indicate that cfRNA markers exhibit high sensitivity (80%) and low specificity (80%) for detecting GC, while cfDNA markers have lower sensitivity (59%) but higher specificity (92%). Conclusions: This review has demonstrated that cell-free nucleic acids have the potential to serve as useful diagnostic markers for GC. Given that both cfRNA and cfDNA markers have shown promising diagnostic performance for GC, the combination of the two may potentially enhance diagnostic efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Haixin Yu
- Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kowal-Wisniewska E, Jaskiewicz K, Bartochowska A, Kiwerska K, Ustaszewski A, Gorecki T, Giefing M, Paluszczak J, Wierzbicka M, Jarmuz-Szymczak M. Towards effectiveness of cell free DNA based liquid biopsy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2251. [PMID: 38278927 PMCID: PMC10817923 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52031-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure, that uses body fluids sampling to detect and characterize cancer fingerprints. It is of great potential in oncology, however there are challenges associated with the proper handling of liquid biopsy samples that need to be addressed to implement such analysis in patients' care. Therefore, in this study we performed optimization of pre-analytical conditions and detailed characterization of cfDNA fraction (concentration, length, integrity score) in surgically treated HNSCC patients (n = 152) and healthy volunteers (n = 56). We observed significantly higher cfDNA concentration in patients compared to healthy controls (p < 0.0001) and a time dependent decrease of cfDNA concentration after tumor resection. Our results also revealed a significant increase of cfDNA concentration with age in both, healthy volunteers (p = 0.04) and HNSCC patients (p = 0.000002). Moreover, considering the multitude of HNSCC locations, we showed the lack of difference in cfDNA concentration depending on the anatomical location. Furthermore, we demonstrated a trend toward higher cfDNA length (range 35-10380 and 500-10380 bp) in the group of patients with recurrence during follow-up. In conclusion, our study provide a broad characterization of cfDNA fractions in HNSCC patients and healthy controls. These findings point to several aspects necessary to consider when implementing liquid biopsy in clinical practice including: (I) time required for epithelial regeneration to avoid falsely elevated levels of cfDNA not resulting from active cancer, (II) age-related accumulation of nucleic acids accompanied by less efficient elimination of cfDNA and (III) higher cfDNA length in patients with recurrence during follow-up, reflecting predominance of tumor necrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Kowal-Wisniewska
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479, Poznan, Poland.
- Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Katarzyna Jaskiewicz
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479, Poznan, Poland
| | - Anna Bartochowska
- Department of Otolaryngology and Laryngeal Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kiwerska
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479, Poznan, Poland
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
| | - Adam Ustaszewski
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479, Poznan, Poland
| | - Tomasz Gorecki
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Maciej Giefing
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jaroslaw Paluszczak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Wierzbicka
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479, Poznan, Poland
- Department of Otolaryngology and Laryngeal Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Faculty of Medicine Wroclaw, University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Jarmuz-Szymczak
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479, Poznan, Poland
- Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
George NG, Rishi B, Singh A, Vishmaya S, Kumar R, Kushwaha N, Kaur M, Bhardwaj R, Jain A, Jain A, Chaudhry S, Misra A. Early prognosis prediction in acute myeloid and acute lymphoid leukemia patients using cell-free DNA concentration ratios. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 10:1333943. [PMID: 38317776 PMCID: PMC10840420 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1333943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a promising biomarker for disease prediction in many cancers, including acute leukemia (acute myeloid leukemia [AML] and acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL]). This study investigated the role of cfDNA in predicting relapse or unfavorable outcomes in acute leukemia patients upon initial diagnosis. Methods: Paired peripheral blood samples of 25 patients with ALL and AML were compared at baseline and induction/follow-up and clinically correlated with clinicopathological and outcome variables according to the risk category. cfDNA was isolated using commercial cfDNA extraction kits. The probability of poor outcomes in high-risk groups and a cut-off value for risk stratification minimal residual disease (MRD) positivity and outcome prediction were derived. Results: Twenty-five patients diagnosed with AML and ALL were risk-stratified based on NCI risk stratification, and of these 25 patients, 4 patients were of standard risk (SR) and 1 patient was of intermediate risk (IR), while a majority of patients (80%) were of high risk (HR). Of these, four HR patients passed away. The ratio of cfDNA reduction at baseline and the end of induction was a strong predictor of poor outcomes in high-risk patients, regardless of the MRD status. A cfDNA ratio score of 2.6 or higher at diagnosis/remission predicted poor outcomes, with higher accuracy than conventional MRD detection by flow cytometry. Conclusion: A higher cfDNA ratio at diagnosis/remission or at baseline predicts poor outcomes in acute leukemia patients. This pilot study suggests that cfDNA ratio scoring may be a useful tool for predicting prognosis in acute leukemia patients, regardless of the MRD status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Bhavika Rishi
- ICMR‐National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, India
| | - Amitabh Singh
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Sree Vishmaya
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- ICMR‐National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Manpreet Kaur
- ICMR‐National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Ankur Jain
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Aditi Jain
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Sumita Chaudhry
- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Luo Y, Zhang H, Li L, Lin Y, Wang X, Chen W, Tao Y, Ou R, Zhou W, Zheng F, Jin Y, Cheng F, Zhu H, Zhang Y, Jin X. Heat inactivation does not alter host plasma cell-free DNA characteristics in infectious disease research. Clin Chim Acta 2024; 553:117751. [PMID: 38163539 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2023.117751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a promising analyte for non-invasive liquid biopsy, carrying abundant signatures for disease diagnosis and monitoring. In infectious disease researches, blood plasma samples are routinely heat-inactivated before proceeding with downstream analyses. However, the effects of heat inactivation on cfDNA fragmentomic analysis remain largely unclear, potentially introducing biases or altering the characteristics of cfDNA. METHODS We performed a comprehensive investigation of cfDNA concentrations and fragmentomics in 21 plasma samples from 7 healthy individuals, by comparing the sample group without the heat inactivation to those exposed to once or twice heat-inactivation at 56 °C for 30 min and following freeze-thaw. RESULTS Plasma samples with once and twice heat inactivation displayed no significant deviations in primary characteristics, including cfDNA concentrations, size profiles, end motif features, and genome-wide distributions, compared to samples without heat treatment. CONCLUSIONS Heat-inactivated cfDNA can be utilized for liquid biopsy in infectious disease researches, without substantial impact on cfDNA concentrations and fragmentomic properties. This study provides essential insights into the effects of heat inactivation on cfDNA properties and will contribute to the development of reliable non-invasive biomarkers for infectious disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxue Luo
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | | | - Lingguo Li
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Lin
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinxin Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China; School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wei Chen
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China
| | - Ye Tao
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China
| | - Rijing Ou
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenwen Zhou
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China
| | - Fang Zheng
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Jin
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | - Fanjun Cheng
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei, China
| | | | - Yan Zhang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xin Jin
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Transomics Biotechnologies, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Najafi S, Majidpoor J, Mortezaee K. Liquid biopsy in colorectal cancer. Clin Chim Acta 2024; 553:117674. [PMID: 38007059 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2023.117674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Liquid biopsy refers to a set of pathological samples retrieved from non-solid sources, such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and saliva through non-invasive or minimally invasive approaches. In the recent decades, an increasing number of studies have focused on clinical applications and improving technological investigation of liquid biopsy biosources for diagnostic goals particularly in cancer. Materials extracted from these sources and used for medical evaluations include cells like circulating tumor cells (CTCs), tumor-educated platelets (TEPs), cell-free nucleic acids released by cells, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), cell-free DNA (cfDNA), cell-free RNA (cfRNA), and exosomes. Playing significant roles in the pathogenesis of human malignancies, analysis of these sources can provide easier access to genetic and transcriptomic information of the cancer tissue even better than the conventional tissue biopsy. Notably, they can represent the inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity and accordingly, liquid biopsies demonstrate strengths for improving diagnosis in early detection and screening, monitoring and follow-up after therapies, and personalization of therapeutical strategies in various types of human malignancies. In this review, we aim to discuss the roles, functions, and analysis approaches of liquid biopsy sources and their clinical implications in human malignancies with a focus on colorectal cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Najafi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamal Majidpoor
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
| | - Keywan Mortezaee
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
van der Leest P, Schuuring E. Critical Factors in the Analytical Work Flow of Circulating Tumor DNA-Based Molecular Profiling. Clin Chem 2024; 70:220-233. [PMID: 38175597 DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/hvad194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liquid biopsy testing, especially molecular tumor profiling of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in cell-free plasma, has received increasing interest in recent years as it serves as a reliable alternative for the detection of tumor-specific aberrations to guide treatment decision-making in oncology. Many (commercially available) applications have been developed, however, broad divergences in (pre)analytical work flows and lack of universally applied guidelines impede routine clinical implementation. In this review, critical factors in the blood-based ctDNA liquid biopsy work flow are evaluated. CONTENT In the preanalytical phase, several aspects (e.g., blood collection tubes [BCTs], plasma processing, and extraction method) affect the quantity and quality of the circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) applicable for subsequent molecular analyses and should meet certain standards to be applied in diagnostic work flows. Analytical considerations, such as analytical input and choice of assay, might vary based on the clinical application (i.e., screening, primary diagnosis, minimal residual disease [MRD], response monitoring, and resistance identification). In addition to practical procedures, variant interpretation and reporting ctDNA results should be harmonized. Collaborative efforts in (inter)national consortia and societies are essential for the establishment of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in attempts to standardize the plasma-based ctDNA analysis work flow. SUMMARY Development of universally applicable guidelines regarding the critical factors in liquid biopsy testing are necessary to pave the way to clinical implementation for routine diagnostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul van der Leest
- Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ed Schuuring
- Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bronkhorst AJ, Holdenrieder S. A pocket companion to cell-free DNA (cfDNA) preanalytics. Tumour Biol 2024; 46:S297-S308. [PMID: 37840517 DOI: 10.3233/tub-230011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The cumulative pool of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) molecules within bodily fluids represents a highly dense and multidimensional information repository. This "biological mirror" provides real-time insights into the composition, function, and dynamics of the diverse genomes within the body, enabling significant advancements in personalized molecular medicine. However, effective use of this information necessitates meticulous classification of distinct cfDNA subtypes with exceptional precision. While cfDNA molecules originating from different sources exhibit numerous genetic, epigenetic, and physico-chemical variations, they also share common features that complicate analyses. Considerable progress has been achieved in mapping the landscape of cfDNA features, their clinical correlations, and optimizing extraction procedures, analytical approaches, bioinformatics pipelines, and machine learning algorithms. Nevertheless, preanalytical workflows, despite their profound impact on cfDNA measurements, have not progressed at a corresponding pace. In this perspective article, we emphasize the pivotal role of robust preanalytical procedures in the development and clinical integration of cfDNA assays, highlighting persistent obstacles and emerging challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abel J Bronkhorst
- Munich Biomarker Research Center, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, German Heart Center, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Holdenrieder
- Munich Biomarker Research Center, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, German Heart Center, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Laššáková S, Šenkyřík P, Pazourková E, Hořínek A, Calda P, Břešťák M, Světnicová K, Neužil P, Korabečná M. Rapid non-invasive prenatal screening test for trisomy 21 based on digital droplet PCR. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22948. [PMID: 38135736 PMCID: PMC10746715 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50330-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive prenatal tests for the detection of fetal aneuploidies are predominantly based on the analysis of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from the plasma of pregnant women by next-generation sequencing. The development of alternative tests for routine genetic laboratories is therefore desirable. Multiplex digital droplet PCR was used to detect 16 amplicons from chromosome 21 and 16 amplicons from chromosome 18 as the reference. Two fluorescently labeled lock nucleic acid probes were used for the detection of reaction products. The required accuracy was achieved by examining 12 chips from each patient using Stilla technology. The plasma cfDNA of 26 pregnant women with euploid pregnancies and 16 plasma samples from pregnancies with trisomy 21 were analyzed to determine the cutoff value for sample classification. The test was validated in a blind study on 30 plasma samples from pregnant patients with a risk for trisomy 21 ranging from 1:4 to 1:801. The results were in complete agreement with the results of the invasive diagnostic procedure (sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 100%). Low cost, and speed of analysis make it a potential screening method for implementation into the clinical workflow to support the combined biochemical and ultrasound results indicating a high risk for trisomy 21.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soňa Laššáková
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Šenkyřík
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Pazourková
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Nephrology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, U Nemocnice 499/2, 128 08, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Aleš Hořínek
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, U Nemocnice 1, 128 08, Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Calda
- Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Apolinarska 18, 128 51, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Břešťák
- Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Apolinarska 18, 128 51, Prague, Czech Republic
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center ProfiG2 S.R.O., Vajgarská, 1141, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Pavel Neužil
- Department of Microsystem Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Marie Korabečná
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Health Care and Social Work, University of Trnava in Trnava, Universitne Namestie 1, 918 43, Trnava, Slovak Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Bronkhorst AJ, Holdenrieder S. The changing face of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) profiling: Factors that shape the landscape of methodologies, technologies, and commercialization. MED GENET-BERLIN 2023; 35:201-235. [PMID: 38835739 PMCID: PMC11006350 DOI: 10.1515/medgen-2023-2065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Liquid biopsies, in particular the profiling of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), have long held promise as transformative tools in cancer precision medicine. Despite a prolonged incubation phase, ctDNA profiling has recently experienced a strong wave of development and innovation, indicating its imminent integration into the cancer management toolbox. Various advancements in mutation-based ctDNA analysis methodologies and technologies have greatly improved sensitivity and specificity of ctDNA assays, such as optimized preanalytics, size-based pre-enrichment strategies, targeted sequencing, enhanced library preparation methods, sequencing error suppression, integrated bioinformatics and machine learning. Moreover, research breakthroughs have expanded the scope of ctDNA analysis beyond hotspot mutational profiling of plasma-derived apoptotic, mono-nucleosomal ctDNA fragments. This broader perspective considers alternative genetic features of cancer, genome-wide characterization, classical and newly discovered epigenetic modifications, structural variations, diverse cellular and mechanistic ctDNA origins, and alternative biospecimen types. These developments have maximized the utility of ctDNA, facilitating landmark research, clinical trials, and the commercialization of ctDNA assays, technologies, and products. Consequently, ctDNA tests are increasingly recognized as an important part of patient guidance and are being implemented in clinical practice. Although reimbursement for ctDNA tests by healthcare providers still lags behind, it is gaining greater acceptance. In this work, we provide a comprehensive exploration of the extensive landscape of ctDNA profiling methodologies, considering the multitude of factors that influence its development and evolution. By illuminating the broader aspects of ctDNA profiling, the aim is to provide multiple entry points for understanding and navigating the vast and rapidly evolving landscape of ctDNA methodologies, applications, and technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abel J Bronkhorst
- Technical University Munich Munich Biomarker Research Center, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, German Heart Center Lazarettstr. 36 80636 Munich Germany
| | - Stefan Holdenrieder
- Technical University Munich Munich Biomarker Research Center, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, German Heart Center Lazarettstr. 36 80636 Munich Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lockwood CM, Borsu L, Cankovic M, Earle JSL, Gocke CD, Hameed M, Jordan D, Lopategui JR, Pullambhatla M, Reuther J, Rumilla KM, Tafe LJ, Temple-Smolkin RL, Terraf P, Tsimberidou AM. Recommendations for Cell-Free DNA Assay Validations: A Joint Consensus Recommendation of the Association for Molecular Pathology and College of American Pathologists. J Mol Diagn 2023; 25:876-897. [PMID: 37806433 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2023.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Diagnosing, selecting therapy for, and monitoring cancer in patients using a minimally invasive blood test represents a significant advance in precision medicine. Wide variability exists in how circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays are developed, validated, and reported in the literature, which hinders clinical adoption and may negatively impact patient care. Standardization is needed for factors affecting ctDNA assay performance and reporting, including pre-analytical variables, analytical considerations, and elements of laboratory assay reporting. The Association for Molecular Pathology Clinical Practice Committee's Liquid Biopsy Working Group (LBxWG), including organizational representation from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the College of American Pathologists, has undertaken a full-text data extraction of 1228 ctDNA publications that describe assays performed in patients with lymphoma and solid tumor malignancies. With an emphasis on clinical assay validation, the LBxWG has developed a set of 13 best practice consensus recommendations for validating, reporting, and publishing clinical ctDNA assays. Recommendations include reporting key pre-analytical considerations and assay performance metrics; this analysis demonstrates these elements are inconsistently included in publications. The LBxWG recommendations are intended to assist clinical laboratories with validating and reporting ctDNA assays and to ensure high-quality data are included in publications. It is expected that these recommendations will need to be updated as the body of literature continues to mature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Lockwood
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Laetitia Borsu
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Milena Cankovic
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Jonathan S L Earle
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut; Hartford Pathology Associates, Hartford, Connecticut
| | - Christopher D Gocke
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Meera Hameed
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | | | - Jean R Lopategui
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Jacquelyn Reuther
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Invitae, San Francisco, California
| | - Kandelaria M Rumilla
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Laura J Tafe
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
| | | | - Panieh Terraf
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Apostolia M Tsimberidou
- Liquid Biopsy Working Group of the Clinical Practice Committee, Association for Molecular Pathology, Rockville, Maryland; Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, Unit 455, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ntzifa A, Lianidou E. Pre-analytical conditions and implementation of quality control steps in liquid biopsy analysis. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2023; 60:573-594. [PMID: 37518938 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2023.2230290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, great advancements have been made in the field of liquid biopsy through extensive research and the development of new technologies that facilitate the use of liquid biopsy for cancer patients. This is shown by the numerous liquid biopsy tests that gained clearance by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in recent years. Liquid biopsy has significantly altered cancer treatment by providing clinicians with powerful and immediate information about therapeutic decisions. However, the clinical integration of liquid biopsy is still challenging and there are many critical factors to consider prior to its implementation into routine clinical practice. Lack of standardization due to technical challenges and the definition of the clinical utility of specific assays further complicates the establishment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in liquid biopsy. Harmonization of laboratories to established guidelines is of major importance to overcome inter-lab variabilities observed. Quality control assessment in diagnostic laboratories that offer liquid biopsy testing will ensure that clinicians can base their therapeutic decisions on robust results. The regular participation of laboratories in external quality assessment schemes for liquid biopsy testing aims to promptly pinpoint deficiencies and efficiently educate laboratories to improve their quality of services. Accreditation of liquid biopsy diagnostic laboratories based on the ISO15189 standard in Europe or by CLIA/CAP accreditation procedures in the US is the best way to achieve the adaptation of liquid biopsy into the clinical setting by assuring reliable results for the clinicians and their cancer patients. Nowadays, various organizations from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies collaborate to set a framework that will include all procedures from the pre-analytical phase and the analytical process to the final interpretation of results. In this review, we underline several challenges in the analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) concerning standardization of protocols, quality control assessment, harmonization of laboratories, and compliance to specific guidelines that need to be thoroughly considered before liquid biopsy enters the clinic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aliki Ntzifa
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evi Lianidou
- Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Lab of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kresse SH, Brandt-Winge S, Pharo H, Flatin BTB, Jeanmougin M, Vedeld HM, Lind GE. Evaluation of commercial kits for isolation and bisulfite conversion of circulating cell-free tumor DNA from blood. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:151. [PMID: 37710283 PMCID: PMC10503171 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01563-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation biomarkers in circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) have great clinical potential for cancer management. Most methods for DNA methylation analysis require bisulfite conversion, causing DNA degradation and loss. This is particularly challenging for cfDNA, which is naturally fragmented and normally present in low amounts. The aim of the present study was to identify an optimal combination of cfDNA isolation and bisulfite conversion kits for downstream analysis of DNA methylation biomarkers in plasma. RESULTS Of the five tested bisulfite conversion kits (EpiJET Bisulfite Conversion Kit, EpiTect Plus DNA Bisulfite Kit (EpiTect), EZ DNA Methylation-Direct Kit, Imprint DNA Modification Kit (Imprint) and Premium Bisulfite Kit), the highest and lowest DNA yield and recovery were achieved using the EpiTect kit and the Imprint kit, respectively, with more than double the amount of DNA for the EpiTect kit. Of the three tested cfDNA isolation kits (Maxwell RSC ccfDNA Plasma Kit, QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit (CNA) and QIAamp MinElute ccfDNA Mini Kit), the CNA kit yielded around twice as much cfDNA compared to the two others kits, although with more high molecular weight DNA present. When comparing various combinations of cfDNA isolation kits and bisulfite conversion kits, the CNA kit and the EpiTect kit were identified as the best-performing combination, resulting in the highest yield of bisulfite converted cfDNA from normal plasma, as measured by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). As a proof of principle, this kit combination was used to process plasma samples from 13 colorectal cancer patients for subsequent ddPCR methylation analysis of BCAT1 and IKZF1. Methylation of BCAT1 and/or IKZF1 was identified in 6/10 (60%) stage IV patients and 1/3 (33%) stage III patients. CONCLUSIONS Based on a thorough evaluation of five bisulfite conversion kits and three cfDNA isolation kits, both individually and in combination, the CNA kit and the EpiTect kit were identified as the best-performing kit combination, with highest DNA yield and recovery across a range of DNA input amounts. The combination was successfully used for detection of clinically relevant DNA methylation biomarkers in plasma from cancer patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stine H Kresse
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sara Brandt-Winge
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379, Oslo, Norway
| | - Heidi Pharo
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørnar T B Flatin
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marine Jeanmougin
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hege Marie Vedeld
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379, Oslo, Norway
| | - Guro E Lind
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Condoluci A, Rossi D. Special issue on circulating tumor DNA: Introductory editorial. Semin Hematol 2023; 60:125-131. [PMID: 37620237 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminhematol.2023.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adalgisa Condoluci
- Clinic of Hematology, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Oncology Research, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Davide Rossi
- Clinic of Hematology, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Oncology Research, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland; Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Moser T, Kühberger S, Lazzeri I, Vlachos G, Heitzer E. Bridging biological cfDNA features and machine learning approaches. Trends Genet 2023; 39:285-307. [PMID: 36792446 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Liquid biopsies (LBs), particularly using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), are expected to revolutionize precision oncology and blood-based cancer screening. Recent technological improvements, in combination with the ever-growing understanding of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) biology, are enabling the detection of tumor-specific changes with extremely high resolution and new analysis concepts beyond genetic alterations, including methylomics, fragmentomics, and nucleosomics. The interrogation of a large number of markers and the high complexity of data render traditional correlation methods insufficient. In this regard, machine learning (ML) algorithms are increasingly being used to decipher disease- and tissue-specific signals from cfDNA. Here, we review recent insights into biological ctDNA features and how these are incorporated into sophisticated ML applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tina Moser
- Institute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for Liquid Biopsies for Early Detection of Cancer, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Stefan Kühberger
- Institute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for Liquid Biopsies for Early Detection of Cancer, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Isaac Lazzeri
- Institute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for Liquid Biopsies for Early Detection of Cancer, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Georgios Vlachos
- Institute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for Liquid Biopsies for Early Detection of Cancer, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Ellen Heitzer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for Liquid Biopsies for Early Detection of Cancer, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Brandt A, Thiele B, Schultheiß C, Daetwyler E, Binder M. Circulating Tumor DNA in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15072051. [PMID: 37046721 PMCID: PMC10093741 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15072051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumors shed cell-free DNA (cfDNA) into the plasma. “Liquid biopsies” are a diagnostic test to analyze cfDNA in order to detect minimal residual cancer, profile the genomic tumor landscape, and monitor cancers non-invasively over time. This technique may be useful in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) due to genetic tumor heterogeneity and limitations in imaging sensitivity. However, there are technical challenges that need to be overcome for the widespread use of liquid biopsy in the clinical management of these patients. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of HNSCC genetics and the role of cfDNA genomic analyses as an emerging precision diagnostic tool.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Brandt
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital of Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Thiele
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section of Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Schultheiß
- Internal Medicine IV, Oncology/Hematology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Straße 40, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Eveline Daetwyler
- Division of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mascha Binder
- Internal Medicine IV, Oncology/Hematology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Straße 40, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Division of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-612-655-074; Fax: +41-612-655-316
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Diaz IM, Nocon A, Held SAE, Kobilay M, Skowasch D, Bronkhorst AJ, Ungerer V, Fredebohm J, Diehl F, Holdenrieder S, Holtrup F. Pre-Analytical Evaluation of Streck Cell-Free DNA Blood Collection Tubes for Liquid Profiling in Oncology. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13071288. [PMID: 37046506 PMCID: PMC10093569 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13071288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Excellent pre-analytical stability is an essential precondition for reliable molecular profiling of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in oncological diagnostics. Therefore, in vitro degradation of ctDNA and the additional release of contaminating genomic DNA from lysed blood cells must be prevented. Streck Cell-Free DNA blood collection tubes (cfDNA BCTs) have proposed advantages over standard K2EDTA tubes, but mainly have been tested in healthy individuals. Blood was collected from cancer patients (n = 53) suffering from colorectal (n = 21), pancreatic (n = 11), and non-small-cell lung cancer (n = 21) using cfDNA BCT tubes and K2EDTA tubes that were processed immediately or after 3 days (BCTs) or 6 hours (K2EDTA) at room temperature. The cfDNA isolated from these samples was characterized in terms of yield using LINE-1 qPCR; the level of gDNA contamination; and the mutation status of KRAS, NRAS, and EGFR genes using BEAMing ddPCR. CfDNA yield and gDNA levels were comparable in both tube types and were not affected by prolonged storage of blood samples for at least 3 days in cfDNA BCTs or 6 hours in K2EDTA tubes. In addition, biospecimens collected in K2EDTA tubes and cfDNA BCTs stored for up to 3 days demonstrated highly comparable levels of mutational load across all respective cancer patient cohorts and a wide range of concentrations. Our data support the applicability of clinical oncology specimens collected and stored in cfDNA BCTs for up to 3 days for reliable cfDNA and mutation analyses.
Collapse
|
23
|
Dameri M, Cirmena G, Ravera F, Ferrando L, Cuccarolo P, Stabile M, Fanelli GN, Nuzzo PV, Calabrese M, Tagliafico A, Ballestrero A, Zoppoli G. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for non-invasive multiple biomarkers detection in an academic setting: a critical review of the literature for the RENOVATE study protocol. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 185:103963. [PMID: 36931614 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.103963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy has the potential to drastically change clinical practice, paving the way to a novel non-invasive approach for cancer diagnosis and treatment. One of the limitations for the implementation of liquid biopsy in clinical practice is the lack of shared and reproducible standard operating procedures (SOPs) for sample collection, processing and storage. Here, we present a critical review of the literature focusing on the available SOPs to guide liquid biopsy management in research settings and describe SOPs that our laboratory developed and employed in the context of a prospective clinical-translational trial (RENOVATE, NCT04781062). The main aim of this manuscript is to address common issues, towards the implementation of interlaboratory shared protocols for optimized preanalytical handling of blood and urine samples. To our knowledge, this work is one of the few up-to-date, freely available comprehensive reports on trial-level procedures for the handling of liquid biopsy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martina Dameri
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties DiMI, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Ravera
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties DiMI, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 10044, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Paola Cuccarolo
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties DiMI, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Mario Stabile
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties DiMI, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nicolò Fanelli
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 10021, New York, NY, USA; First Division of Pathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Pier Vitale Nuzzo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 10044, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Alberto Tagliafico
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genoa, Italy; Department of Health Sciences DISSAL, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Ballestrero
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties DiMI, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Zoppoli
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties DiMI, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Lin G, Li J. Circulating HPV DNA in HPV-associated cancers. Clin Chim Acta 2023; 542:117269. [PMID: 36841427 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2023.117269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are the primary cause of almost all cervical cancers, anal cancers, and a variable proportion of other anogenital tumors, as well as head and neck cancers. Circulating HPV DNA (cHPV-DNA) is emerging as a biomarker with extensive potential in the management of HPV-driven malignancies. There has been a rapid advancement in the development of techniques for analyzing cHPV-DNA for the detection, characterization, and monitoring of HPV-associated cancers. As clinical evidence accumulates, it is becoming evident that cHPV-DNA can be used as a diagnostic tool. By conducting clinical trials assessing the clinical utility of cHPV-DNA, the full potential of cHPV-DNA for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of HPV-related malignancies can be corroborated. In this review, we examine the current landscape of applications for cHPV-DNA liquid biopsies throughout the cancer care continuum, highlighting future opportunities for research and integration into clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guigao Lin
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital/National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, PR China; Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Jinming Li
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital/National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, PR China; Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Škara L, Vodopić T, Pezelj I, Abramović I, Vrhovec B, Vrtarić A, Sinčić N, Tomas D, Bulimbašić S, Kuliš T, Ulamec M. Methylation pattern of caveolin-1 in prostate cancer as potential cfDNA biomarker. BIOMOLECULES AND BIOMEDICINE 2023; 23:176-186. [PMID: 36036057 PMCID: PMC9901895 DOI: 10.17305/bjbms.2022.7497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
High prevalence and mortality of prostate cancer (PCa) are well known global health issues. Novel biomarkers for better identifying patients with PCa are the subject of extensive research. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) shows low specificity in screening and diagnostics, leading to unnecessary biopsies and health costs. Eighty patients with PCa and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) were included in the study. We analyzed CAV1 gene expression and methylation in tissue. CAV1 cfDNA methylation from blood and seminal plasma was accessed as a potential PCa biomarker. Although methylation in blood plasma did not differ between PCa and BPH patients, methylation in seminal plasma showed better PCa biomarker performances than tPSA (AUC 0.63 vs. AUC 0.52). Discrimination of BPH and Gleason grade group 1 PCa patients from patients with higher Gleason grade groups revealed very good performance as well (AUC 0.72). CAV1 methylation is useful biomarker with potential for further seminal plasma cfDNA research, but its diagnostic accuracy should be improved, as well as general knowledge about cfDNA in seminal plasma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucija Škara
- Department of Biology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Correspondence to Lucija Škara:
| | - Tonći Vodopić
- Ljudevit Jurak Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Pezelj
- Department of Urology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Irena Abramović
- Department of Biology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Borna Vrhovec
- Department of Urology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Alen Vrtarić
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nino Sinčić
- Department of Biology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Davor Tomas
- Ljudevit Jurak Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia,Department of Pathology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Stela Bulimbašić
- Department of Pathology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Pathology and Cytology Department, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tomislav Kuliš
- Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Department of Urology, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Monika Ulamec
- Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia,Ljudevit Jurak Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia,Department of Pathology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Lehle S, Emons J, Hack CC, Heindl F, Hein A, Preuß C, Seitz K, Zahn AL, Beckmann MW, Fasching PA, Ruebner M, Huebner H. Evaluation of automated techniques for extraction of circulating cell-free DNA for implementation in standardized high-throughput workflows. Sci Rep 2023; 13:373. [PMID: 36611077 PMCID: PMC9825368 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27216-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) is a suitable tool for detecting somatic mutations for the purpose of making decisions on treatment, monitoring treatment response, and predicting survival. High-throughput techniques for ccfDNA extraction are essential to implementing ccfDNA testing in the clinical setting. We set out to compare two automated techniques with regard to hands-on time, ccfDNA output and integrity, and circulating mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). CcfDNA was isolated using the EZ1&2 ccfDNA field test kit (EZ2 kit, QIAGEN) and the Maxwell RSC ccfDNA plasma kit (Maxwell kit, Promega). DNA was extracted from plasma of 30 breast cancer patients enrolled in the iMODE-B (#325_19B; 12.10.2020) study. Real-time PCR, fluorescence-based detection and automated electrophoresis were used to assess ccfDNA concentrations. The ccfDNA yield was significantly higher when extracted with the EZ2 kit. The EZ2 kit enabled the isolation of a higher proportion of short fragments and a lower proportion of long fragments, resulting in lower DNA integrity. Significantly lower mtDNA quantities were detected in the Maxwell eluate than in the EZ2 eluate. Thus, decisions on which extraction method to use should proceed on the basis of the required input for downstream applications, the anticipated fragment size and minimum hands-on time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lehle
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julius Emons
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Carolin C. Hack
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Felix Heindl
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alexander Hein
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Caroline Preuß
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Katharina Seitz
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anna L. Zahn
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias W. Beckmann
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter A. Fasching
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Ruebner
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Hanna Huebner
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Slonim LB, Mangold KA, Alikhan MB, Joseph N, Reddy KS, Sabatini LM, Kaul KL. Cell-free Nucleic Acids in Cancer: Current Approaches, Challenges, and Future Directions. Clin Lab Med 2022; 42:669-686. [PMID: 36368789 DOI: 10.1016/j.cll.2022.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liron Barnea Slonim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201
| | - Kathy A Mangold
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201
| | - Mir B Alikhan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201
| | - Nora Joseph
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201
| | - Kalpana S Reddy
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201
| | - Linda M Sabatini
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201
| | - Karen L Kaul
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Kwan EM, Wyatt AW, Chi KN. Towards clinical implementation of circulating tumor DNA in metastatic prostate cancer: Opportunities for integration and pitfalls to interpretation. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1054497. [PMID: 36439451 PMCID: PMC9685669 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1054497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) represents short fragments of tumor-derived DNA released into the bloodstream primarily from cancer cells undergoing apoptosis. In metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), characterizing genomic alterations in ctDNA identifies mutations, copy number alterations, and structural rearrangements with predictive and prognostic biomarker utility. These associations with clinical outcomes have resulted in ctDNA increasingly incorporated into routine clinical care. In this review, we summarize current and emerging applications for ctDNA analysis in metastatic prostate cancer, including outcome prediction, treatment selection, and characterization of treatment resistance. We also discuss potential pitfalls with interpreting ctDNA findings, namely false negatives arising from low tumor content and optimal assay design, including correction for clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential and germline variants. Understanding the influence of these limitations on interpretation of ctDNA results is necessary to overcome barriers to clinical implementation. Nevertheless, as assay availability and technology continue to improve, recognizing both opportunities and shortcomings of ctDNA analysis will retain relevance with informing the implementation of precision-oncology initiatives for metastatic prostate cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edmond M. Kwan
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- BC Cancer, Vancouver Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alexander W. Wyatt
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kim N. Chi
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- BC Cancer, Vancouver Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Abstract
Over the last decade, molecular markers have become an integral part in the management of Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors. Somatic mutations that identify and prognosticate tumors are also detected in the bio-fluids especially the serum and CSF; the sampling of which is known as liquid biopsy (LB). These tumor-derived biomarkers include plasma circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cell-free DNA (cf/ctDNAs), circulating cell-free microRNAs (cfmiRNAs), circulating extracellular vesicles, or exosomes (EVs), proteins, and tumor educated platelets. Established in the management of other malignancies, liquid biopsy is becoming an important tool in the management of CNS tumors as well. This review presents a snapshot of the current state of LB research its potential and the possible pitfalls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amitava Ray
- Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, Department of Neurosciences, Apollo Health City and Apollo Secunderabad, Hyderabad 500089, Telangana, India
| | - Tarang K Vohra
- Consultant Neurosurgeon, Department of Neurosciences, Apollo Health City, Hyderabad 500089, Telangana, India
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Smolkova B, Kataki A, Earl J, Ruz-Caracuel I, Cihova M, Urbanova M, Buocikova V, Tamargo S, Rovite V, Niedra H, Schrader J, Kohl Y. Liquid biopsy and preclinical tools for advancing diagnosis and treatment of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 180:103865. [DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
|
31
|
New Perspectives on the Importance of Cell-Free DNA Biology. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12092147. [PMID: 36140548 PMCID: PMC9497998 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12092147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Body fluids are constantly replenished with a population of genetically diverse cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragments, representing a vast reservoir of information reflecting real-time changes in the host and metagenome. As many body fluids can be collected non-invasively in a one-off and serial fashion, this reservoir can be tapped to develop assays for the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of wide-ranging pathologies, such as solid tumors, fetal genetic abnormalities, rejected organ transplants, infections, and potentially many others. The translation of cfDNA research into useful clinical tests is gaining momentum, with recent progress being driven by rapidly evolving preanalytical and analytical procedures, integrated bioinformatics, and machine learning algorithms. Yet, despite these spectacular advances, cfDNA remains a very challenging analyte due to its immense heterogeneity and fluctuation in vivo. It is increasingly recognized that high-fidelity reconstruction of the information stored in cfDNA, and in turn the development of tests that are fit for clinical roll-out, requires a much deeper understanding of both the physico-chemical features of cfDNA and the biological, physiological, lifestyle, and environmental factors that modulate it. This is a daunting task, but with significant upsides. In this review we showed how expanded knowledge on cfDNA biology and faithful reverse-engineering of cfDNA samples promises to (i) augment the sensitivity and specificity of existing cfDNA assays; (ii) expand the repertoire of disease-specific cfDNA markers, thereby leading to the development of increasingly powerful assays; (iii) reshape personal molecular medicine; and (iv) have an unprecedented impact on genetics research.
Collapse
|
32
|
Herzog H, Dogan S, Aktas B, Nel I. Targeted Sequencing of Plasma-Derived vs. Urinary cfDNA from Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4101. [PMID: 36077638 PMCID: PMC9454533 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14174101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In breast cancer, the genetic profiling of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from blood plasma was shown to have good potential for clinical use. In contrast, only a few studies were performed investigating urinary cfDNA. In this pilot study, we analyzed plasma-derived and matching urinary cfDNA samples obtained from 15 presurgical triple-negative breast cancer patients. We used a targeted next-generation sequencing approach to identify and compare genetic alterations in both body fluids. The cfDNA concentration was higher in urine compared to plasma, but there was no significant correlation between matched samples. Bioinformatical analysis revealed a total of 3339 somatic breast-cancer-related variants (VAF ≥ 3%), whereof 1222 vs. 2117 variants were found in plasma-derived vs. urinary cfDNA, respectively. Further, 431 shared variants were found in both body fluids. Throughout the cohort, the recovery rate of plasma-derived mutations in matching urinary cfDNA was 47% and even 63% for pathogenic variants only. The most frequently occurring pathogenic and likely pathogenic mutated genes were NF1, CHEK2, KMT2C and PTEN in both body fluids. Notably, a pathogenic CHEK2 (T519M) variant was found in all 30 samples. Taken together, our results indicated that body fluids appear to be valuable sources bearing complementary information regarding the genetic tumor profile.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henrike Herzog
- Department of Gynecology, Medical Center, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Senol Dogan
- Soft Matter Physics Division, Peter-Debye-Institute, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bahriye Aktas
- Department of Gynecology, Medical Center, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ivonne Nel
- Department of Gynecology, Medical Center, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Preanalytical Variables in the Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA in Whole Blood and Plasma from Pancreatic Cancer Patients. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12081905. [PMID: 36010255 PMCID: PMC9406772 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12081905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the crucial role of mitochondria as the main cellular energy provider and its contribution towards tumor growth, chemoresistance, and cancer cell plasticity, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) could serve as a relevant biomarker. Thus, the profiling of mtDNA mutations and copy number variations is receiving increasing attention for its possible role in the early diagnosis and monitoring therapies of human cancers. This applies particularly to highly aggressive pancreatic cancer, which is often diagnosed late and is associated with poor prognosis. As current diagnostic procedures are based on imaging, tissue histology, and protein biomarkers with rather low specificity, tumor-derived mtDNA mutations detected from whole blood represents a potential significant leap forward towards early cancer diagnosis. However, for future routine use in clinical settings it is essential that preanalytics related to the characterization of mtDNA in whole blood are thoroughly standardized, controlled, and subject to proper quality assurance, yet this is largely lacking. Therefore, in this study we carried out a comprehensive preanalytical workup comparing different mtDNA extraction methods and testing important preanalytical steps, such as the use of different blood collection tubes, different storage temperatures, length of storage time, and yields in plasma vs. whole blood. To identify analytical and preanalytical differences, all variables were tested in both healthy subjects and pancreatic carcinoma patients. Our results demonstrated a significant difference between cancer patients and healthy subjects for some preanalytical workflows, while other workflows failed to yield statistically significant differences. This underscores the importance of controlling and standardizing preanalytical procedures in the development of clinical assays based on the measurement of mtDNA.
Collapse
|
34
|
Hettmer S, Linardic CM, Kelsey A, Rudzinski ER, Vokuhl C, Selfe J, Ruhen O, Shern JF, Khan J, Kovach AR, Lupo PJ, Gatz SA, Schäfer BW, Volchenboum S, Minard-Colin V, Koscielniak E, Hawkins DS, Bisogno G, Sparber-Sauer M, Venkatramani R, Merks JHM, Shipley J. Molecular testing of rhabdomyosarcoma in clinical trials to improve risk stratification and outcome: A consensus view from European paediatric Soft tissue sarcoma Study Group, Children's Oncology Group and Cooperative Weichteilsarkom-Studiengruppe. Eur J Cancer 2022; 172:367-386. [PMID: 35839732 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMSs) are the most common soft tissue sarcomas in children/adolescents less than 18 years of age with an annual incidence of 1-2/million. Inter/intra-tumour heterogeneity raise challenges in clinical, pathological and biological research studies. Risk stratification in European and North American clinical trials previously relied on clinico-pathological features, but now, incorporates PAX3/7-FOXO1-fusion gene status in the place of alveolar histology. International working groups propose a coordinated approach through the INternational Soft Tissue SaRcoma ConsorTium to evaluate the specific genetic abnormalities and generate and integrate molecular and clinical data related to patients with RMS across different trial settings. We review relevant data and present a consensus view on what molecular features should be assessed. In particular, we recommend the assessment of the MYOD1-LR122R mutation for risk escalation, as it has been associated with poor outcomes in spindle/sclerosing RMS and rare RMS with classic embryonal histopathology. The prospective analyses of rare fusion genes beyond PAX3/7-FOXO1 will generate new data linked to outcomes and assessment of TP53 mutations and CDK4 amplification may confirm their prognostic value. Pathogenic/likely pathogenic germline variants in TP53 and other cancer predisposition genes should also be assessed. DNA/RNA profiling of tumours at diagnosis/relapse and serial analyses of plasma samples is recommended where possible to validate potential molecular biomarkers, identify new biomarkers and assess how liquid biopsy analyses can have the greatest benefit. Together with the development of new molecularly-derived therapeutic strategies that we review, a synchronised international approach is expected to enhance progress towards improved treatment assignment, management and outcomes for patients with RMS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Hettmer
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Corinne M Linardic
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology; Duke University of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Anna Kelsey
- Department of Paediatric Histopathology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Erin R Rudzinski
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Laboratories, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Christian Vokuhl
- Section of Pediatric Pathology, Department of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Germany
| | - Joanna Selfe
- Sarcoma Molecular Pathology Team, Divisions of Molecular Pathology and Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Olivia Ruhen
- Sarcoma Molecular Pathology Team, Divisions of Molecular Pathology and Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Jack F Shern
- Genetics Branch, Oncogenomics Section, Center for Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Javed Khan
- Genetics Branch, Oncogenomics Section, Center for Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alexander R Kovach
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology; Duke University of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Philip J Lupo
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Susanne A Gatz
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Beat W Schäfer
- Department of Oncology and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Ewa Koscielniak
- Klinikum der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart GKAöR, Olgahospital, Stuttgart Cancer Center, Zentrum für Kinder-, Jugend- und Frauenmedizin, Pädiatrie 5 (Pädiatrische Onkologie, Hämatologie, Immunologie), Stuttgart, Germany; Medizinische Fakultät, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Douglas S Hawkins
- Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gianni Bisogno
- Hematology Oncology Division, Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Monika Sparber-Sauer
- Klinikum der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart GKAöR, Olgahospital, Stuttgart Cancer Center, Zentrum für Kinder-, Jugend- und Frauenmedizin, Pädiatrie 5 (Pädiatrische Onkologie, Hämatologie, Immunologie), Stuttgart, Germany; Medizinische Fakultät, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rajkumar Venkatramani
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Janet Shipley
- Sarcoma Molecular Pathology Team, Divisions of Molecular Pathology and Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Pirosa MC, Borchmann S, Jardin F, Gaidano G, Rossi D. Controversies in the Interpretation of Liquid Biopsy Data in Lymphoma. Hemasphere 2022; 6:e727. [PMID: 35747846 PMCID: PMC9208882 DOI: 10.1097/hs9.0000000000000727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of genomic technologies over the last years has led to the development of different methods for the detection, measurement and analysis of cell-free DNA fragments (cfDNA) which are shed into the bloodstream by apoptotic cells and circulate at a low concentration in plasma. In cancer patients, the proportion of tumor-derived cfDNA is defined as circulating tumor DNA. This analysis, commonly known as liquid biopsy, allows to access tumor DNA through a simple blood sampling and therefore without the need of an invasive tissue biopsy. For this reason, this tool may have several clinical applications in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of minimal residual disease. However, there are still several critical issues that need to be resolved. In this review, we will discuss some of the controversies around this method and its potential clinical applications.
Collapse
|
36
|
Pietrasz D, Sereni E, Lancelotti F, Pea A, Luchini C, Innamorati G, Salvia R, Bassi C. Circulating tumour DNA: a challenging innovation to develop "precision onco-surgery" in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Br J Cancer 2022; 126:1676-1683. [PMID: 35197581 PMCID: PMC9174156 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01745-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is predicted to become the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality within the next decade. Management of PDAC remains challenging with limited effective treatment options and a dismal long-term prognosis. Liquid biopsy and circulating biomarkers seem to be promising to improve the multidisciplinary approach in PDAC treatment. Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is the most studied blood liquid biopsy analyte and can provide insight into the molecular profile and individual characteristics of the tumour in real-time and in advance of standard imaging modalities. This could pave the way for identifying new therapeutic targets and markers of tumour response to supplement diagnostic and provide enhanced stratified treatment. Although its specificity seems excellent, the current sensitivity of ctDNA remains a limitation for clinical use, especially in patients with a low tumour burden. Increasing evidence suggests that ctDNA is a pertinent candidate biomarker to assess minimal residual disease after surgery but also a strong independent prognostic biomarker. This review explores the current knowledge and recent developments in ctDNA as a screening, diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarker in the management of resectable PDAC but also technical and analytical challenges that must be overcome to move toward "precision onco-surgery."
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Pietrasz
- APHP Hôpital Paul-Brousse, Centre Hépato-Biliaire, Université Paris-Saclay, 94800, Villejuif, France.
- Unit of General and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Oncology, University of Verona Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Sereni
- Unit of General and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Oncology, University of Verona Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Francesco Lancelotti
- Unit of General and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Oncology, University of Verona Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonio Pea
- Unit of General and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Oncology, University of Verona Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Claudio Luchini
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giulio Innamorati
- Unit of General and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Oncology, University of Verona Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Salvia
- Unit of General and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Oncology, University of Verona Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Claudio Bassi
- Unit of General and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Oncology, University of Verona Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Krasic J, Skara L, Bojanac AK, Ulamec M, Jezek D, Kulis T, Sincic N. The utility of cfDNA in TGCT patient management: a systematic review. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2022; 14:17588359221090365. [PMID: 35656387 PMCID: PMC9152191 DOI: 10.1177/17588359221090365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are the most common young male malignancy with a steadily rising incidence. Standard clinical practice is radical orchidectomy of suspicious lumps followed by histopathological diagnosis and tumor subtyping. This practice can lead to complications and quality of life issues for the patients. Liquid biopsies, especially cell-free DNA (cfDNA), promised to be true surrogates for tissue biopsies, which are considered dangerous to perform in cases of testicular tumors. In this study, we have performed a systematic review on the potential of cfDNA in TGCT patient management, its potential challenges in translation to clinical application and possible approaches in further research. Materials & Methods: The review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines on EuropePMC and PUBMED electronic databases, with the last update being on October 21, 2021. Due to the high heterogeneity in identified research articles, we have performed an overview of their efficacy. Results: Eight original articles have been identified on cfDNA in TGCT patients published from 2004 to 2021, of which six had more than one TGCT patient enrolled and were included in the final analysis. Three studies investigated cfDNA methylation, one has investigated mutations in cfDNA, two have investigated cfDNA amount, and one has investigated cfDNA integrity in TGCT. The sensitivity of cfDNA for TGCT was found to be higher than in serum tumor markers and lower than miR-371a-3p, with comparable specificity. cfDNA methylation analysis has managed to accurately detect teratoma in TGCT patients. Conclusion: Potential challenges in cfDNA application to TGCT patient management were identified. The challenges relating to the biology of TGCT with its low mutational burden and low cfDNA amounts in blood plasma make next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods especially challenging. We have also proposed possible approaches to help find clinical application, including a focus on cfDNA methylation analysis, and potentially solving the challenge of teratoma detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jure Krasic
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers (Epimark), School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Lucija Skara
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers (Epimark), School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Katusic Bojanac
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Monika Ulamec
- Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers (Epimark), School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Ljudevit Jurak Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology, University Clinical Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Davor Jezek
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tomislav Kulis
- Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers (Epimark), School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nino Sincic
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, Zagreb, 10 000, Croatia
- Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers (Epimark), School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, Zagreb, 10 000, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, Zagreb, 10 000, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Gao Q, Zeng Q, Wang Z, Li C, Xu Y, Cui P, Zhu X, Lu H, Wang G, Cai S, Wang J, Fan J. Start of an era: circulating cell-free DNA for early detection of cancers. Innovation (N Y) 2022; 3:100259. [PMID: 35647572 PMCID: PMC9133648 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2022.100259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective screening modalities are currently available for only a small subset of cancers, and they generally have suboptimal performance with complicated procedures. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop simple, accurate, and non-invasive methods for early detection of cancers. Genetic and epigenetic alterations in plasma circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) have shown the potential to revolutionize methods of early detection of cancers and facilitate subsequent diagnosis to improve survival of patients. The medical interest in cfDNA assays has been inspired by emerging single- and multi-early detection of cancers studies. This review summarizes current technological and clinical advances, in the hopes of providing insights into the development and applications of cfDNA assays in various cancers and clinical scenarios. The key phases of clinical development of biomarkers are highlighted, and the future developments of cfDNA-based liquid biopsies in early detection of cancers are outlined. It is hoped that this study can boost the potential integration of cfDNA-based early detection of cancers into the current clinical workflow. Liquid biopsy, characterized by minimal invasiveness and user friendliness, can identify multiple cancers at the early stage and localize the tissue of origin The state-of-the-art technology facilitates the application of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) assays in the early detection of cancers cfDNA assays are expected to be integrated into the clinical workflow after technological refinement and clinical trial validation The development and application strategies of cfDNA assays in various cancers and clinical scenarios can vary, and the harm-and-benefit should be balanced carefully
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Gao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiang Zeng
- Health Management Institute, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Zhijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100006, China
| | | | - Yu Xu
- Burning Rock Biotech, Guangzhou 510320, China
| | - Peng Cui
- Burning Rock Biotech, Guangzhou 510320, China
| | - Xin Zhu
- Burning Rock Biotech, Guangzhou 510320, China
| | - Huafei Lu
- Burning Rock Biotech, Guangzhou 510320, China
| | | | - Shangli Cai
- Burning Rock Biotech, Guangzhou 510320, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100006, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Jia Fan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Alese OB, Cook N, Ortega-Franco A, Ulanja MB, Tan L, Tie J. Circulating Tumor DNA: An Emerging Tool in Gastrointestinal Cancers. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2022; 42:1-20. [PMID: 35471832 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_349143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is tumor-derived fragmented DNA in the bloodstream that has come from primary or metastatic cancer sites. Neoplasm-specific genetic and epigenetic abnormalities are increasingly being identified through liquid biopsy: a novel, minimally invasive technique used to isolate and analyze ctDNA in the peripheral circulation. Liquid biopsy and other emerging ctDNA technologies represent a paradigm shift in cancer diagnostics because they allow for the detection of minimal residual disease in patients with early-stage disease, improve risk stratification, capture tumor heterogeneity and genomic evolution, and enhance ctDNA-guided adjuvant and palliative cancer therapy. Moreover, ctDNA can be used to monitor the tumor response to neoadjuvant and postoperative therapy in patients with metastatic disease. Using clearance of ctDNA as an endpoint for escalation/de-escalation of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients considered to have high-risk disease has become an important area of research. The possibility of using ctDNA as a surrogate for treatment response-including for overall survival, progression-free survival, and disease-free survival-is an attractive concept; this surrogate will arguably reduce study duration and expedite the development of new therapies. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on the applications of ctDNA for the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal tumors. Gastrointestinal cancers-including tumors of the esophagus, stomach, colon, liver, and pancreas-account for one-quarter of global cancer diagnoses and contribute to more than one-third of cancer-related deaths. Given the prevalence of gastrointestinal malignancies, ctDNA technology represents a powerful tool to reduce the global burden of disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olatunji B Alese
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Natalie Cook
- Experimental Cancer Medicine Team, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Ortega-Franco
- Experimental Cancer Medicine Team, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Mark B Ulanja
- Christus Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital, Lake Charles, LA
| | - Lavinia Tan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jeanne Tie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Division of Personalized Oncology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Chang L, Li J, Zhang R. Liquid biopsy for early diagnosis of non-small cell lung carcinoma: recent research and detection technologies. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188729. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
41
|
Ko TK, Lee E, Ng CCY, Yang VS, Farid M, Teh BT, Chan JY, Somasundaram N. Circulating Tumor DNA Mutations in Progressive Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Identify Biomarkers of Treatment Resistance and Uncover Potential Therapeutic Strategies. Front Oncol 2022; 12:840843. [PMID: 35273917 PMCID: PMC8904145 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.840843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based approaches may represent a non-invasive means for molecular interrogation of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). We deployed a customized 29-gene Archer® LiquidPlex™ targeted panel on 64 plasma samples from 46 patients. The majority were known to harbor KIT mutations (n = 41, 89.1%), while 3 were PDGFRA exon 18 D842V mutants and the rest (n = 2) were wild type for KIT and PDGFRA. In terms of disease stage, 14 (30.4%) were localized GISTs that had undergone complete surgical resection while the rest (n = 32) were metastatic. Among ten patients, including 7 on tyrosine kinase inhibitors, with evidence of disease progression at study inclusion, mutations in ctDNA were detected in 7 cases (70%). Known somatic mutations in KIT (n = 5) or PDGFRA (n = 1) in ctDNA were identified only among 6 of the 10 patients. These KIT mutants included duplication, indels, and single-nucleotide variants. The median mutant AF in ctDNA was 11.0% (range, 0.38%–45.0%). In patients with metastatic progressive KIT-mutant GIST, tumor burden was higher with detectable KIT ctDNA mutation than in those without (median, 5.97 cm vs. 2.40 cm, p = 0.0195). None of the known tumor mutations were detected in ctDNA for localized cases (n = 14) or metastatic cases without evidence of disease progression (n = 22). In patients with serial samples along progression of disease, secondary acquired mutations, including a potentially actionable PIK3CA exon 9 c.1633G>A mutation, were detected. ctDNA mutations were not detectable when patients responded to a switch in TKI therapy. In conclusion, detection of GIST-related mutations in ctDNA using a customized targeted NGS panel represents an attractive non-invasive means to obtain clinically tractable information at the time of disease progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tun Kiat Ko
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenome, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Cancer Discovery Hub, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Elizabeth Lee
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenome, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Cancer Discovery Hub, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cedric Chuan-Young Ng
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenome, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Cancer Discovery Hub, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Valerie Shiwen Yang
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mohamad Farid
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bin Tean Teh
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenome, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore, Singapore.,Programme in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jason Yongsheng Chan
- Cancer Discovery Hub, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nagavalli Somasundaram
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Oncology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Liu APY, Northcott PA, Robinson GW, Gajjar A. Circulating tumor DNA profiling for childhood brain tumors: Technical challenges and evidence for utility. J Transl Med 2022; 102:134-142. [PMID: 34934181 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-021-00719-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) profiling as liquid biopsy has proven value in adult-onset malignancies, serving as a patient-specific surrogate for residual disease and providing a non-invasive tool for serial interrogation of tumor genomics. However, its application in neoplasms of the central nervous system (CNS) has not been as extensively studied. Unique considerations and methodological challenges exist, which need to be addressed before cfDNA studies can be incorporated as a clinical assay for primary CNS diseases. Here, we review the current status of applying cfDNA analysis in patients with CNS tumors, with special attention to diagnosis in pediatric patients. Technical concerns, evidence for utility, and potential developments are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Pak-Yin Liu
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Hong Kong Children's Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
| | - Paul A Northcott
- Division of Brain Tumor Research, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Giles W Robinson
- Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Amar Gajjar
- Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Abdel-Azim H, Dave H, Jordan K, Rawlings-Rhea S, Luong A, Wilson AL. Alignment of practices for data harmonization across multi-center cell therapy trials: a report from the Consortium for Pediatric Cellular Immunotherapy. Cytotherapy 2022; 24:193-204. [PMID: 34711500 PMCID: PMC8792313 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2021.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Immune effector cell (IEC) therapies have revolutionized our approach to relapsed B-cell malignancies, and interest in the investigational use of IECs is rapidly expanding into other diseases. Current challenges in the analysis of IEC therapies include small sample sizes, limited access to clinical trials and a paucity of predictive biomarkers of efficacy and toxicity associated with IEC therapies. Retrospective and prospective multi-center cell therapy trials can assist in overcoming these barriers through harmonization of clinical endpoints and correlative assays for immune monitoring, allowing additional cross-trial analysis to identify biomarkers of failure and success. The Consortium for Pediatric Cellular Immunotherapy (CPCI) offers a unique platform to address the aforementioned challenges by delivering cutting-edge cell and gene therapies for children through multi-center clinical trials. Here the authors discuss some of the important pre-analytic variables, such as biospecimen collection and initial processing procedures, that affect biomarker assays commonly used in IEC trials across participating CPCI sites. The authors review the recent literature and provide data to support recommendations for alignment and standardization of practices that can affect flow cytometry assays measuring immune effector function as well as interpretation of cytokine/chemokine data. The authors also identify critical gaps that often make parallel comparisons between trials difficult or impossible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hisham Abdel-Azim
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hema Dave
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Hospital, George Washington School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kimberly Jordan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Stephanie Rawlings-Rhea
- Seattle Children's Therapeutics, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Annie Luong
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ashley L Wilson
- Seattle Children's Therapeutics, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Roschewski M, Rossi D, Kurtz DM, Alizadeh AA, Wilson WH. Circulating Tumor DNA in Lymphoma: Principles and Future Directions. Blood Cancer Discov 2022; 3:5-15. [PMID: 35015693 PMCID: PMC9245363 DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.bcd-21-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lymphomas are heterogeneous tumors with striking genetic diversity and variable outcomes even within pathologic diagnoses. Treatment response assessment relies on radiologic and nuclear scans, which cannot detect disease at the molecular level. Molecular tumor analyses require invasive tissue biopsies that cannot accurately capture spatial tumor heterogeneity within each patient. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a minimally invasive and highly versatile biomarker that overcomes fundamental limitations of imaging scans and tissue biopsies and may aid clinical decision-making in lymphoma. In this review, we highlight the key established principles regarding ctDNA in lymphoma and emphasize the important research questions and future directions. SIGNIFICANCE: ctDNA is an emerging biomarker for lymphomas that noninvasively provides genotypic information and can measure the effectiveness of treatment by detecting the presence of minimal residual disease. Key principles have emerged related to ctDNA for lymphoma, but further studies are needed to standardize its use and establish clinical utility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Roschewski
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Davide Rossi
- Experimental Hematology, Institute of Oncology Research, Hematology, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - David M Kurtz
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Ash A Alizadeh
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine; Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Wyndham H Wilson
- Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Alborelli I, Jermann PM. Preanalytical Variables and Sample Quality Control for Clinical Variant Analysis. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2493:331-351. [PMID: 35751825 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2293-3_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Broad molecular profiling by next-generation sequencing of solid tumors has become a critical tool for clinical decision-making in the era of precision oncology. In addition to many already approved targeted therapies, more than half of ongoing oncology-related clinical trials are biomarker-driven. Therefore, accurate and reliable assays are needed to assess the genetic make-up of tumor cells and guide clinicians in the therapy decision process. In order to obtain high-quality NGS data for variant detection, certain preanalytical steps and quality metrics should be followed. These include assessment of sample types, choice of extraction method, library preparation technology, sequencing platform, and finally sequencing quality control. Each of these steps has certain challenges and pitfalls that need to be addressed and overcome, respectively. In this chapter, we address the preanalytical quality control and how each of the involved steps may influence the final result. Following these guidelines and QC metrics may help in obtaining optimal results that will allow the precise and robust assessment of genetic variants in a clinical setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Alborelli
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philip M Jermann
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
De S. Signatures Beyond Oncogenic Mutations in Cell-Free DNA Sequencing for Non-Invasive, Early Detection of Cancer. Front Genet 2021; 12:759832. [PMID: 34721546 PMCID: PMC8551553 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.759832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Early detection of cancer saves lives, but an effective detection strategy in public health settings requires a delicate balance - periodic screening should neither miss rapidly progressing disease nor fail to detect rare tumors at unusual locations; on the other hand, even a modest false positive rate carries risks of over-diagnosis and over-treatment of relatively indolent non-malignant disease. Genomic profiling of cell-free DNA from liquid biopsy using massively parallel sequencing is emerging as an attractive, non-invasive screening platform for sensitive detection of multiple types of cancer in a single assay. Genomic data from cell-free DNA can not only identify oncogenic mutation status, but also additional molecular signatures related to potential tissue of origin, the extent of clonal growth, and malignant disease states. Utilization of the full potential of the molecular signatures from cfDNA sequencing data can guide clinical management strategies for targeted follow-ups using imaging or molecular marker-based diagnostic platforms and treatment options.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Subhajyoti De
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Chen K, Shields MD, Chauhan PS, Ramirez RJ, Harris PK, Reimers MA, Zevallos JP, Davis AA, Pellini B, Chaudhuri AA. Commercial ctDNA Assays for Minimal Residual Disease Detection of Solid Tumors. Mol Diagn Ther 2021; 25:757-774. [PMID: 34725800 PMCID: PMC9016631 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-021-00559-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The detection of circulating tumor DNA via liquid biopsy has become an important diagnostic test for patients with cancer. While certain commercial liquid biopsy platforms designed to detect circulating tumor DNA have been approved to guide clinical decisions in advanced solid tumors, the clinical utility of these assays for detecting minimal residual disease after curative-intent treatment of nonmetastatic disease is currently limited. Predicting disease response and relapse has considerable potential for increasing the effective implementation of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies. As a result, many companies are rapidly investing in the development of liquid biopsy platforms to detect circulating tumor DNA in the minimal residual disease setting. In this review, we discuss the development and clinical implementation of commercial liquid biopsy platforms for circulating tumor DNA minimal residual disease detection of solid tumors. Here, we aim to highlight the technological features that enable highly sensitive detection of tumor-derived genomic alterations, the factors that differentiate these commercial platforms, and the ongoing trials that seek to increase clinical implementation of liquid biopsies using circulating tumor DNA-based minimal residual disease detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Chen
- Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Misty D Shields
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Pradeep S Chauhan
- Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Ricardo J Ramirez
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Peter K Harris
- Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Melissa A Reimers
- Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jose P Zevallos
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Andrew A Davis
- Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - Bruna Pellini
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| | - Aadel A Chaudhuri
- Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA.
- Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Kerachian MA, Azghandi M, Mozaffari-Jovin S, Thierry AR. Guidelines for pre-analytical conditions for assessing the methylation of circulating cell-free DNA. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:193. [PMID: 34663458 PMCID: PMC8525023 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01182-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylation analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (cirDNA), as a liquid biopsy, has a significant potential to advance the detection, prognosis, and treatment of cancer, as well as many genetic disorders. The role of epigenetics in disease development has been reported in several hereditary disorders, and epigenetic modifications are regarded as one of the earliest and most significant genomic aberrations that arise during carcinogenesis. Liquid biopsy can be employed for the detection of these epigenetic biomarkers. It consists of isolation (pre-analytical) and detection (analytical) phases. The choice of pre-analytical variables comprising cirDNA extraction and bisulfite conversion methods can affect the identification of cirDNA methylation. Indeed, different techniques give a different return of cirDNA, which confirms the importance of pre-analytical procedures in clinical diagnostics. Although novel techniques have been developed for the simplification of methylation analysis, the process remains complex, as the steps of DNA extraction, bisulfite treatment, and methylation detection are each carried out separately. Recent studies have noted the absence of any standard method for the pre-analytical processing of methylated cirDNA. We have therefore conducted a comprehensive and systematic review of the important pre-analytical and analytical variables and the patient-related factors which form the basis of our guidelines for analyzing methylated cirDNA in liquid biopsy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Amin Kerachian
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Cancer Genetics Research Unit, Reza Radiotherapy and Oncology Center, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Marjan Azghandi
- Cancer Genetics Research Unit, Reza Radiotherapy and Oncology Center, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Sina Mozaffari-Jovin
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Alain R Thierry
- IRCM, Institute of Research in Oncology of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
- INSERM, U1194, Montpellier, France.
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
- ICM, Regional Institute of Cancer of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Cédile O, Veyhe SR, Hansen MH, Titlestad K, Nyvold CG. Investigation of circulating DNA integrity after blood collection. Biotechniques 2021; 71:550-555. [PMID: 34645292 DOI: 10.2144/btn-2020-0167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Method summary Concentrations of circulating DNA in blood plasma were compared using NanoDrop, Qubit, quantitative PCR and Bioanalyzer, and DNA integrity was evaluated with the Bioanalyzer according to the time of plasma preparation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oriane Cédile
- Haematology-Pathology Research Laboratory, Research Unit for Haematology & Research Unit for Pathology, University of Southern Denmark & Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,OPEN, Odense Patient Data Explorative Network, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Marcus Høy Hansen
- Haematology-Pathology Research Laboratory, Research Unit for Haematology & Research Unit for Pathology, University of Southern Denmark & Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Kjell Titlestad
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Charlotte Guldborg Nyvold
- Haematology-Pathology Research Laboratory, Research Unit for Haematology & Research Unit for Pathology, University of Southern Denmark & Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,OPEN, Odense Patient Data Explorative Network, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Till JE, Black TA, Gentile C, Abdalla A, Wang Z, Sangha HK, Roth JJ, Sussman R, Yee SS, O'Hara MH, Thompson JC, Aggarwal C, Hwang WT, Elenitoba-Johnson KSJ, Carpenter EL. Optimization of Sources of Circulating Cell-Free DNA Variability for Downstream Molecular Analysis. J Mol Diagn 2021; 23:1545-1552. [PMID: 34454115 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2021.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) is used increasingly as a cancer biomarker for prognostication, as a correlate for tumor volume, or as input for downstream molecular analysis. Determining optimal blood processing and ccfDNA quantification are crucial for ccfDNA to serve as an accurate biomarker as it moves into the clinical realm. Whole blood was collected from 50 subjects, processed to plasma, and used immediately or frozen at -80°C. Plasma ccfDNA was extracted and concentration was assessed by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), fluorimetry, and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). For the 24 plasma samples from metastatic pancreatic cancer patients, the variant allele fractions (VAF) of KRAS G12/13 pathogenic variants in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) were measured by ddPCR. Using a high-speed (16,000 × g) or slower-speed (4100 × g) second centrifugation step showed no difference in ccfDNA yield or ctDNA VAF. A two- versus three-spin centrifugation protocol also showed no difference in ccfDNA yield or ctDNA VAF. A higher yield was observed from fresh versus frozen plasma by qPCR and fluorimetry, whereas a higher yield was observed for frozen versus fresh plasma by ddPCR, however, no difference was observed in ctDNA VAF. Overall, our findings suggest factors to consider when implementing a ccfDNA extraction and quantification workflow in a research or clinical setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob E Till
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Taylor A Black
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Caren Gentile
- Division of Precision and Computational Diagnostics, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Aseel Abdalla
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Zhuoyang Wang
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Hareena K Sangha
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jacquelyn J Roth
- Division of Precision and Computational Diagnostics, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Robyn Sussman
- Division of Precision and Computational Diagnostics, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Stephanie S Yee
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mark H O'Hara
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jeffrey C Thompson
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Charu Aggarwal
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Wei-Ting Hwang
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kojo S J Elenitoba-Johnson
- Division of Precision and Computational Diagnostics, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Erica L Carpenter
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| |
Collapse
|