Circulating Tumor DNA as a Prognostic Biomarker in Localized Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Muyun Peng,Jina Li,Lientu Wang,Xiang Wang,Min Zou,Wenhui Su,Jingqun Tang,Wenliang Liu,Chen Chen,Wei Yin,Lihan Chin,Fenglei Yu,Qi Huang,Sichuang Tan,Bingyu Zhang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2020.561598

Abstract

BackgroundRoutine clinical surveillance involves serial radiographic imaging following radical surgery in localized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, such surveillance can detect only macroscopic disease recurrence and is frequently inconclusive. We investigated if detection of ctDNA before and after resection of NSCLC identifies the patients with risk of relapse, and furthermore, informs about response to management.MethodsWe recruited a total of 77 NSCLC patients. A high-throughput 127 target-gene capture technology and a high-sensitivity circulating single-molecule amplification and resequencing technology (cSMART) assay were used to detect the somatic mutations in the tumor tissues as well as the plasma of NSCLC patients before and after surgery to monitor for minimal residual disease (MRD). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were performed to evaluate the relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with predictor variables.ResultsPatients with a higher stage (III/IV) and preoperative ctDNA-positive status demonstrated a significant 2.8-3.4-fold risk and 3.8-4.0-fold risk for recurrence and death, respectively. Preoperative ctDNA-positive patients associated with a lower RFS (HR = 3.812, p = 0.0005) and OS (HR = 5.004, p = 0.0009). Postoperative ctDNA-positive patients also associated with a lower RFS (HR = 3.076, p = 0.0015) and OS (HR = 3.195, p = 0.0053). Disease recurrence occurred among 63.3% (19/30) of postoperative ctDNA-positive patients. Most of these patients 89.5% (17/19) had detectable ctDNA within 2 weeks after surgery and was identified in advance of radiographic findings by a median of 12.6 months.ConclusionAdvanced stage and preoperative ctDNA-positive are strong predictors of RFS and OS in localized NSCLC patients undergoing complete resection. Postoperative detection of ctDNA increases chance to detect early relapse, thus can fulfill an important role in stratifying patients for immediate further treatment with adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy.

Highlights

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with an estimated nearly 2.1 million new cancer cases diagnosed leading to an estimated 1.8 million deaths worldwide in 2018 [1]
We used the powerEpi function that takes into account the correlation between two covariates, which we considered to be stage and preoperative ctDNA status
We collected a total of 77 tissue samples

Summary

Introduction

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with an estimated nearly 2.1 million new cancer cases diagnosed leading to an estimated 1.8 million deaths worldwide in 2018 [1]. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 230,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed, and about 140,000 people will die from the disease in 2019 [2]. Because such surveillance detects only macroscopic recurrence, it is frequently inconclusive due to postoperative normal tissue changes. Routine clinical surveillance involves serial radiographic imaging following radical surgery in localized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Such surveillance can detect only macroscopic disease recurrence and is frequently inconclusive. We investigated if detection of ctDNA before and after resection of NSCLC identifies the patients with risk of relapse, and informs about response to management

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Discussion

Conclusion