Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) utilizing a high-sensitivity panel to detect minimal residual disease post liver hepatectomy and predict disease recurrence.

Abstract

3522 Background: Preliminary data suggests that ctDNA can serve as a marker of minimal residual disease following colorectal cancer (CRC) tumor resection. Applicability of current ctDNA testing is limited by the requirement of sequencing known individual tumor mutations. We explored the applicability of a multi-gene panel ctDNA detection technology in CRC. Methods: Plasma was prospectively collected from CRC patients (pts) undergoing hepatic resections with curative intent between 1/2013 to 9/2016. In a blinded manner 5ml of preoperative (preop) and immediate post-operative (postop) plasma were tested using a novel 30kb ctDNA digital sequencing panel (Guardant Health) covering SNVs in 21 genes and indels in 9 genes based on the landscape of genomic alterations in ctDNA from over 10,000 advanced cancer pts with a high theoretical sensitivity (96%) for CRC. Median unique molecule coverage for this study is 9000 for cfDNA inputs ranging from 10 – 150 ng (media input preop = 27 ng, median input postop = 49 ng) with 120,000X sequencing depth on an IIlumina HiSeq2500. Results: A total of 54 pts underwent liver metastectomies with curative intent with a median follow-up of 33 months. Preop blood was a median of 49 days from last systemic chemotherapy and 3 days prior to surgery; postop blood was a median of 17 days after resection. Tumor mutations from standard of care hotspot multigene panel testing (at MDACC) were identified in 46 of 54 pts (85%). Preop ctDNA mutation detection rate was 80% (43/54) and 44% (24/54) in postop setting, with postop median allele frequency of 0.16% (range 0.01% to 20%). In pts with a minimum of 1 year follow up, sensitivity of postop ctDNA for residual disease was 58% (95%CI; 41%-74%), and specificity was 100% (66%-100%). In 43 patients who underwent successful resection of all visible disease, postop detection of ctDNA significantly correlated with RFS (P = 0.002, HR 3.1; 95% CI 1.7-9.1) with 2-year RFS of 0% vs. 47%. Recurrence was detected in ctDNA a median of 5.1 months prior to radiographic recurrence. Conclusions: The detection of postop ctDNA using an NGS panel-based approach is feasible and is associated with a very high rate of disease recurrence.