Profiling Of Circulating Tumor DNA Research Articles

Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling in Liver Transplant for Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Cholangiocarcinoma, and Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Programmatic Proof of Concept.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is emerging as a promising, non-invasive diagnostic and surveillance biomarker in solid organ malignancy. However, its utility before and after liver transplant (LT) for patients with primary and secondary liver cancers is still underexplored. Patients undergoing LT for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), and colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) with ctDNA testing were included. CtDNA testing was conducted pre-transplant, post-transplant, or both (sequential) from 11/2019 to 09/2023 using Guardant360, Guardant Reveal, and Guardant360 CDx. 21 patients with HCC (n = 9, 43%), CRLM (n = 8, 38%), CCA (n = 3, 14%), and mixed HCC/CCA (n = 1, 5%) were included in the study. The median follow-up time was 15 months (range: 1-124). The median time from pre-operative testing to surgery was 3 months (IQR: 1-4; range: 0-5), and from surgery to post-operative testing, it was 9 months (IQR: 2-22; range: 0.4-112). A total of 13 (62%) patients had pre-transplant testing, with 8 (62%) having ctDNA detected (ctDNA+) and 5 (32%) not having ctDNA detected (ctDNA-). A total of 18 (86%) patients had post-transplant testing, 11 (61%) of whom were ctDNA+ and 7 (33%) of whom were ctDNA-. The absolute recurrence rates were 50% (n = 5) in those who were ctDNA+ vs. 25% (n = 1) in those who were ctDNA- in the post-transplant setting, though this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.367). Six (29%) patients (HCC = 3, CCA = 1, CRLM = 2) experienced recurrence with a median recurrence-free survival of 14 (IQR: 6-40) months. Four of these patients had positive post-transplant ctDNA collected following diagnosis of recurrence, while one patient had positive post-transplant ctDNA collected preceding recurrence. A total of 10 (48%) patients had sequential ctDNA testing, of whom n = 5 (50%) achieved ctDNA clearance (+/-). The remainder were ctDNA+/+ (n = 3, 30%), ctDNA-/- (n = 1, 10%), and ctDNA-/+ (n = 1, 11%). Three (30%) patients showed the acquisition of new genomic alterations following transplant, all without recurrence. Overall, the median tumor mutation burden (TMB) decreased from 1.23 mut/Mb pre-transplant to 0.00 mut/Mb post-transplant. Patients with ctDNA positivity experienced recurrence at a higher rate than the ctDNA- patients, indicating the potential role of ctDNA in predicting recurrence after curative-intent transplant. Based on sequential testing, LT has the potential to clear ctDNA, demonstrating the capability of LT in the treatment of systemic disease. Transplant providers should be aware of the potential of donor-derived cell-free DNA and improved approaches are necessary to address such concerns.

Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling Reveals Distinct Hodgkin Lymphoma Subtypes

Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling Reveals Distinct Hodgkin Lymphoma Subtypes

Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling Approach Based on In Silico Background Elimination Guides Chemotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis increasingly provides a promising minimally invasive alternative to tissue biopsies in precision oncology. However, there are no ctDNA analysis approaches available in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and current methods of ctDNA mutation profiling have limited resolution because of the high background noise and false-positive rate caused by benign variants in plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA), majorly generated during clonal hematopoiesis. Although personalized parallel white blood cell genome sequencing suppresses the noise of clonal hematopoiesis variances, the system cost and complexity restrict its extensive application in clinical settings. We developed Matched WBC Genome sequencing Independent CtDNA profiling (MaGIC) approaches, which synergically integrated a ctDNA capturing panel for a hybrid capture cfDNA deep sequencing, in silico background elimination, and a reliable readout measurement. We profiled the ctDNAs of 80 plasma samples from 40 patients with NPC before and during chemotherapy by MaGICs. In addition, the public cfDNA sequencing data and The Cancer Genome Atlas project data were analyzed by MaGICs to evaluate their application in other scenarios of patient classification. The MaGIC version-2 has the ability to predict the chemosensitivity of patients with NPC with high accuracy by utilizing a single sample of liquid biopsy from each patient prior to a standardized treatment regimen. Moreover, both versions of MaGICs are of ideal performance in the diagnosis of patients with prostate cancer by liquid biopsy and prognosis prediction of multiple cancers by tissue biopsy. This study has the potential to enhance the sensitivity and expand the application scope of ctDNA detection, independently of other paired genome sequencing methods. As a result, it might further increase the clinical utilization of liquid biopsy based on ctDNA.

Methylated Whole Genome Cell-Free DNA Sequencing before Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Large B-Cell Lymphoma Predicts Treatment Outcomes

Introduction More than half of patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (R/R LBCL) will experience progressive disease after CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CART). Circulating tumor DNA profiling has been used to prognosticate patients before CART, but mainly has focused on identification of somatic genomic aberrations. Epigenetic changes, specifically aberrant DNA methylation, can alter transcriptional regulation of genes important for treatment resistance. Altered methylation features can be detected from cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in patients with LBCL and are associated with outcomes after frontline immunochemotherapy. In the current study, we used whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) to analyze the methylation landscape in cfDNA from patient plasma before CART and identified novel methylation signatures associated with poor treatment outcomes. Methods Patients with R/R LBCL who received standard-of-care CART with plasma samples drawn before lymphodepletion (LD) or at cell infusion were identified. The primary endpoint was 3-month overall response after CART. cfDNA was extracted from 3-5 ml of plasma and cfDNA libraries were prepared using a Zymo-Seq cell free WGBS kit. Each library was sequenced to 300 - 600 million read pairs at a read length of 150 bp, enabling an average CpG coverage of 7-13X per detected CpG. Unique alignment rate among all libraries were about or above 82%. Reads were adapter trimmed with Trim Galore and aligned to reference genome hg19 using Bismark. Methylation calling was performed by MethylDackel. Differentially methylated cytosines (DMC, FDR ≤0.05) and regions (DMR) from WGBS data with an absolute methylation difference of ≥ 0.1 between 3-month responders and non-responders were identified using DSS. Functional enrichment analysis of genes overlapped by DMRs was performed by gprofiler2. Results A total of 22 patients with plasma collected before LD (n=21) or at cell infusion (n=1) who received CART were identified. Median follow-up was 21.5 months (95% CI 12.5-NR). Three-month response was evaluable in 21 patients (1 pending evaluation). Overall response rate (ORR) was 77% (8 CR, 9 PR) and 55% (9 CR, 2 PR) at one- and 3-months post-CART, respectively. Median PFS was 6.5 months (95% CI 3.0-NR), and median OS was 57.7 months (95% CI 7.7-NR). Patient and disease characteristics are described in Table 1. Differential methylation analysis identified 22,815 DMCs, of which 1,043 were hypomethylated and 21,772 were hypermethylated in non-responders. The global average methylation values across 25 million cytosines were 0.807 and 0.786 for non-responders and responders, respectively (p=0.265). A total of 582 DMRs were identified, of which 34 were hypomethylated and 548 were hypermethylated in non-responders (Figure 1). Of these, 281 (48%) overlapped intergenic regions, 265 (46%) gene bodies, and 33 (6%) promoter regions. DMRs overlapping DNA repair gene PARP1 (areaStat 88.2), B-cell receptor signaling genes SYK (27.2), FYN (21.4), and PTPN6 (20.9), polycomb repressor complex genes JARID2 (25.2) and BCOR (21.4), tumor suppressor WT1 (47.1), immune mediators NRP1 (80.0), TRAF3 (56.7), PAK3 (28.4), IRAK2 (28.7), and TNFS14 (23.6), and non-coding RNAs MIR4520 (95.8) and VTRNA-2 (23.1) were hypermethylated in non-responders and IL17RA (-33.2) hypomethylated. Functional enrichment analysis on overlapped genes also identified common molecular functions involving guanyl nucleotide exchange factors (p=0.0007), GTPase regulation (p=0.001), and cGMP binding (p=0.007). Discussion This proof-of-concept study is the first to perform WGBS on pretreatment plasma from patients with R/R LBCL to associate methylation signatures with post-CART outcomes. We identified that non-responders were enriched in hypermethylated DMRs compared to responders, overlapping with genes important to lymphomagenesis, immune function, and GTP energy metabolism. Further work will expand this cohort, compare with matched-tissue to find tumor-specific markers, and identify candidate DMR targets for targeted bisulfite sequencing from pre- and post-treatment plasma samples to assess response. By identifying high-risk methylation signatures in the plasma of CART recipients, we may be able to identify patients to be prioritized for novel treatment strategies such as combination with hypomethylating agents to improve outcomes.

Early Prediction of Treatment Response By Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Receiving CAR T-Cell Therapy

Introduction Patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL) are characterized by a particularly poor prognosis. Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has improved outcomes of patients with r/r DLBCL, yet a substantial proportion of patients still experiences relapse or progression after CAR T-cell treatment. Identifying patients at high risk of CAR T-cell therapy resistance or future lymphoma progression remains challenging. Here, we explored the value of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a prognostic biomarker at baseline and early into treatment in DLBCL patients undergoing standard-of-care CAR T-cell therapy, without the need for matched tumor genotypes. We further investigated associations between ctDNA and other known clinical risk factors. Methods We applied targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) to a total of 53 samples from r/r DLBCL patients receiving CAR T-cell therapy (axicabtagene ciloleucel and tisagenlecleucel, n=16) at the University Medical Center Freiburg (Germany), using a modified version of the AVENIO ctDNA analysis workflow (Roche; Research Use Only) that covered ~314kb and targeted 466 distinct genes recurrently mutated in DLBCL (based on the CAPP-Seq workflow, Kurtz DM et al. J Clin Oncol 2018). Tumor genotypes were assessed noninvasively from plasma samples obtained at baseline before lymphodepletion with matched germline controls. Concentrations of ctDNA were quantified at baseline and early after CAR T-cell therapy at day 7-10. Initial treatment response was assessed by conventional PET-CT obtained 4-6 weeks after treatment based on the Lugano criteria. Results At baseline prior to lymphodepletion, we detected somatic mutations in 100% of plasma samples by noninvasive genotyping, with a median of 19.5 mutations per patient (range: 3-97). The most frequently mutated genes were IGHV, IGLL5, BCL2, MYC, BTG1, CREBBP, and TP53. Patients with high baseline ctDNA concentrations (mean allele frequency [AF] >= 1%) showed shorter progression-free survivial (PFS) and overall survival (OS) than patients with ctDNA levels below this threshold (median PFS: 86.5 days vs. not reached, p=0.04, HR: 6.3, 95% CI: 1.7-23.6; median OS: 219 days vs. not reached, p=0.048, HR: 4.1, 95% CI 1.0-16.6, Figure 1). Pretreatment ctDNA levels were significantly correlated with LDH concentrations ( p=0.049, r=0.5). We further found significantly higher ctDNA concentrations in patients with transformed DLBCL (vs. non-transformed, p=0.008) and in those with 3 or more prior treatment lines (vs. 1-2, p=0.04). At day 7-10 after CAR T-cell therapy, ctDNA levels dropped a median of 10-fold compared to the pretreatment time point ( p=0.008). Patients achieving a complete (CMR) or partial metabolic response (PMR) by PET-CT after 4-6 weeks showed a significant decrease of ctDNA ( p=0.001), while those with a stable (SD) or progressive disease (PD) had no significant ctDNA reduction at day 7-10 after CAR T-cell infusion. Vice versa, while 100% of patients with a >1.5-log-fold drop of ctDNA level between the pretreatment and interim time point revealed a CMR or PMR in early PET-CT scans, only 62% of patients with a smaller ctDNA decline responded to treatment according to PET-CT. Conclusions Our data suggests, together with previously published studies (Sworder BJ et al., Cancer Cell, 2023; Frank MJ et al. J Clin Oncol, 2021), that ctDNA profiling may allow robust noninvasive genotyping, accurate risk-stratification, and early prediction of clinical outcomes in r/r DLBCL patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy. Although limited by small sample size, this pilot study highlights a potential future role of ctDNA measurements for personalized treatment selection and guidance in clinical trials.

Serial circulating tumor DNA profiling predicts tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for liver cancer.

Minimal residual disease (MRD) is proposed to be responsible for tumor recurrence. The role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect MRD, monitor recurrence, and predict prognosis in liver cancer patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) remains unrevealed. Serial blood samples were collected to profile ctDNA mutational changes. Baseline ctDNA mutational profiles were compared with those of matched tumor tissues. Correlations between ctDNA status and recurrence rate (RR) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed, respectively. Dynamic change of ctDNA was monitored to predict tumor recurrence. Baseline mutational profiles of ctDNA were highly concordant with those of tumor tissues (median, 89.85%; range 46.2-100%) in the 74 patients. Before LT, positive ctDNA status was associated with higher RR (31.7% vs 11.5%; p = 0.001) and shorter RFS than negative ctDNA status (17.8 vs 19.4months; p = 0.019). After LT, the percentage of ctDNA positivity decreased (17.6% vs 47.0%; p < 0.001) and patients with positive ctDNA status had higher RR (46.2% vs 21.3%; p < 0.001) and shorter RFS (17.2 vs 19.2months; p = 0.010). Serial ctDNA profiling demonstrated patients with decreased or constant negative ctDNA status had lower RR (33.3% vs 50.0%; p = 0.015) and favorable RFS (18.2 vs 15.0months, p = 0.003) than those with increased or constant positive ctDNA status. Serial ctDNA profiling predicted recurrence months ahead of imaging evidence and serum tumor biomarkers. ctDNA could effectively detect MRD and predict tumor recurrence in liver cancer patients undergone LT.

Accuracy of minimal residual disease detection by circulating tumor DNA profiling in lung cancer: a meta-analysis

BackgroundThe sensitivity and specificity of minimal residual disease detected by circulating tumor DNA profiling (ctDNA MRD) in lung cancer, with particular attention to the distinction between landmark strategy and surveillance strategy, for predicting relapse in lung cancer patients after definitive therapy has yet to be determined.MethodsThe prognostic value of ctDNA MRD by landmark strategy and surveillance strategy was evaluated in a large cohort of patients with lung cancer who received definitive therapy using a systemic literature review and meta-analysis. Recurrence status stratified by ctDNA MRD result (positive or negative) was extracted as the clinical endpoint. We calculated the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curves, and pooled sensitivities and specificities. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on histological type and stage of lung cancer, types of definitive therapy, and ctDNA MRD detection methods (detection technology and strategy such as tumor-informed or tumor-agnostic).ResultsThis systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 unique studies includes 1251 patients with lung cancer treated with definitive therapy. The specificity of ctDNA MRD in predicting recurrence is high (0.86–0.95) with moderate sensitivity (0.41–0.76), whether shortly after treatment or during the surveillance. The landmark strategy appears to be more specific but less sensitive than the surveillance strategy.ConclusionsOur study suggests that ctDNA MRD is a relatively promising biomarker for relapse prediction among lung cancer patients after definitive therapy, with a high specificity but suboptimal sensitivity, whether in landmark strategy or surveillance strategy. Although surveillance ctDNA MRD analysis decreases specificity compared with the landmark strategy, the decrease is minimal compared to the increase in sensitivity for relapse prediction of lung cancer.

Editorial Comment to Plasma circulating tumor DNA profiling in patients with chemo-refractory germ cell tumors.

I declare that I have no conflicts of interest in this manuscript.

Plasma circulating tumor DNA profiling in patients with chemo-refractory germ cell tumors.

Molecular analysis of tumor tissues has been extensively analyzed in germ cell tumors. However, genetic analysis of plasma circulating tumor DNA has been limited. Our objective was to analyze genetic alterations in circulating tumor DNA as well as its impact on prognosis in patients with chemo-refractory germ cell tumors. We included 13 patients with chemo-refractory germ cell tumors who relapsed after second-line or higher previous chemotherapy and performed targeted sequencing of plasma cell-free DNA using an AVENIO Expanded kit. Tumor-specific genetic alterations were identified in all patients. The most frequently mutated gene was TP53 (53.4%), followed by PTEN (23.1%), GNAS (15.4%) and MTOR (15.4%). Moreover, EGFR amplification (38.5%) and MET amplification (15.4%) were also identified. We defined two or more single nucleotide variants detected in plasma cell-free DNA as circulating tumor DNA-positive. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that overall survival was significantly shorter in circulating tumor DNA-positive patients than circulating tumor DNA negative-patients (median overall survival 3.13 vs. 8.73 months; p=0.042). Analysis of plasma circulating tumor DNA could detect genetic alterations in patients with chemo-refractory GCT. Moreover, detectable circulating tumor DNA in plasma was associated with poor prognosis in those patients. These results suggest that liquid biopsy using analysis of plasma circulating tumor DNA may be clinically useful for germ cell tumor patients.

Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling for Detection, Risk Stratification, and Classification of Brain Lymphomas.

Clinical outcomes of patients with CNS lymphomas (CNSLs) are remarkably heterogeneous, yet identification of patients at high risk for treatment failure is challenging. Furthermore, CNSL diagnosis often remains unconfirmed because of contraindications for invasive stereotactic biopsies. Therefore, improved biomarkers are needed to better stratify patients into risk groups, predict treatment response, and noninvasively identify CNSL. We explored the value of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for early outcome prediction, measurable residual disease monitoring, and surgery-free CNSL identification by applying ultrasensitive targeted next-generation sequencing to a total of 306 tumor, plasma, and CSF specimens from 136 patients with brain cancers, including 92 patients with CNSL. Before therapy, ctDNA was detectable in 78% of plasma and 100% of CSF samples. Patients with positive ctDNA in pretreatment plasma had significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS, P < .0001, log-rank test) and overall survival (OS, P = .0001, log-rank test). In multivariate analyses including established clinical and radiographic risk factors, pretreatment plasma ctDNA concentrations were independently prognostic of clinical outcomes (PFS HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0 to 1.9; P = .03; OS HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.2; P = .006). Moreover, measurable residual disease detection by plasma ctDNA monitoring during treatment identified patients with particularly poor prognosis following curative-intent immunochemotherapy (PFS, P = .0002; OS, P = .004, log-rank test). Finally, we developed a proof-of-principle machine learning approach for biopsy-free CNSL identification from ctDNA, showing sensitivities of 59% (CSF) and 25% (plasma) with high positive predictive value. We demonstrate robust and ultrasensitive detection of ctDNA at various disease milestones in CNSL. Our findings highlight the role of ctDNA as a noninvasive biomarker and its potential value for personalized risk stratification and treatment guidance in patients with CNSL.

Genomic heterogeneity as a barrier to precision oncology in urothelial cancer.

Precision oncology relies on the accurate molecular characterization of individual patients with cancer at the time of treatment initiation. However, tumor molecular profiles are not static, and cancers continually evolve because of ongoing mutagenesis and clonal selection. Here, we performed genomic analyses of primary tumors, metastases, and plasma collected from individual patients to define the concordance of actionable genomic alterations and to identify drivers of metastatic disease progression. We observed a high degree of discordance of actionable genomic alterations, with 23% discordant between primary and metastatic disease sites. Among chromatin-modifying genes, ARID1A mutations, when discordant, were exclusive to the metastatic tumor samples. Our findings indicate that the high degree of lesion-to-lesion genomic heterogeneity may be a barrier to precision oncology approaches for bladder cancer and that circulating tumor DNA profiling may be preferred to tumor sequencing for a subset of patients.

Circulating tumor DNA profile and its clinical significance in patients with hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative mBC.

After early-line (first- and second-line) endocrine therapy, hormone-receptor (HR)-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancers (mBCs) become resistant to endocrine therapy. Genetic alterations may underlie resistance to endocrine therapies. This study aims to investigate the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) alterations and the clinical implication in hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients with multiline endocrine therapy failure. This registered study (NCT05079074, ClinicalTrials.gov) enrolled 104 patients with hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who progressed after the early-line endocrine therapy. ctDNA alterations were analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS). ctDNA alterations were ranked and clustered by using R 'ComplexHeatmap' and 'hclust' function. ctDNA-guided therapy was administrated. Progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed COX regression analysis, and Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted. The top ctDNA altered genes were TP53 (39%), PIK3CA (38%), BRCA1/2 (13%), ESR1 (12%), FGFR (11%), ERBB2 (11%), and GATA3 (9%). Among these genes, TP53, PIK3CA helix domain mutation (PIK3CA-HD), FGFR, ESR1 and GATA3 were related to endocrine therapy resistance. The genetic landscapes changed and tumor mutation burden increased in both TP53-altered and PIK3CA-altered patients. Both BRCA1/2 and ERBB2 alterations correlated with TP53 alterations (P=0.02 and P=0.04, respectively). However, while 93% BRCA1/2 alterations concentrated in PIK3CA-wildtype patients, 82% ERBB2 alterations concentrated in PIK3CA-altered patients. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients who received druggable ctDNA alteration-guided treatment (DDAT) had significantly longer PFS than those who received physician-chosen therapy, with median PFS of 6.1 months versus 4.6 months (hazard ratio = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34-0.85, Logrank P = 0.006). Multiple genetic alterations were important reasons for the failure of endocrine therapy for HR-positive and HER2-negative mBC. Targeting these genes might restore the treatment sensitivity and benefit survival.

Circulating tumor DNA profiling and serial analysis in salivary gland carcinomas reveal unique mutational subsets and actionable alterations.

6097 Background: Salivary gland carcinoma is a rare head and neck malignancy without any FDA approved treatment options. ctDNA profiling has been shown to be a valuable tool in identifying novel targets and expanding potential therapeutic options. Here, we report the landscape of ctDNA in a large dataset of salivary gland carcinomas. Methods: Analysis of genomic results from blood samples with a diagnosis of salivary gland carcinoma that were prospectively collected between January 2017 to December 2021 for clinical Guardant360 testing. Histologic subtype was documented by ordering providers as available. Serial tests were defined as having Guardant360 analysis performed on more than one sample collected at more than one timepoint. Results: Among 222 patients tested with Guardant360, 59.5% were male and the median age was 64 years (range 22-93 years). Of reported diagnoses, 137 (61.7%) patients had salivary gland carcinoma NOS. The remaining samples were designated by specific salivary histology: 13 (5.9%) salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma (SGMC), 19 (8.6%) salivary gland adenocarcinoma (SGA), 37 (16.7%) salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (SGACC), and 16 (72%) salivary duct carcinoma (SDC). ctDNA genomic alterations (GAs) were identified in 205 (81.3%) of 252 samples. The median variant allele fraction was 0.6% (range 0.01%-46.4%). TMB was evaluated in 45 samples of which 33 were evaluable and the median and 80th percentile of TMB was 8.44 and 11.81 mut/Mb. MSI-H was not detected in any of the 181 samples tested for MSI. The most commonly altered genes were TP53, PIK3CA, ERBB2, ATM, EGFR and HRAS across all collected salivary samples. Further analysis stratified genetic alterations by tissue subtype. Other than TP53, common mutations by salivary gland carcinoma subtype included: PI3KCA (SGACC/SDC), ERBB2 (SGA), and EGFR (SGMC). In regards to serial analysis, 16 patients had at least 2 serial tests. When comparing the subsequent testing within the same patient, 3 patients had potentially new actionable GAs (including BRAF, KRAS mutations and EGFR amplification) on the subsequent test that were not identified on the original test. Conclusions: Blood-based liquid biopsy can be applied in salivary gland tumors to detect genomic alterations in ctDNA which may provide opportunities for therapeutic intervention in a cancer with limited treatment options. Additionally, ctDNA testing may be used to identify resistant alterations to potential therapy. Finally, longitudinal assessment of ctDNA may shed light on tumor evolution and additional therapeutic targets may be found. Further assessment of serial ctDNA analysis and the potential impact on patient clinical outcomes needs to be elucidated.

Circulating tumor DNA profile in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and potential targeted therapy.

4152 Background: Despite huge efforts patients (pts) with advanced PDAC, still have a dismal long-term prognosis. The lack of available good-quality tissue samples for next generation sequencing (NGS) prevents from finding actionable alterations that could guide personalized treatments. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) provides a non-invasive method for obtaining molecular information with therapeutic potential. Here, we present prospective data of ctDNA sequencing in pts with PDAC. Methods: We collected a single blood sample from advanced PDAC pts at any line of treatment (Tx) and at least 10 days apart from their last therapy. The samples were analyzed by Guardant360 plasma-based NGS, a standardized assay which covers microsatellite instability [MSI] evaluation and analysis of all four types of somatic alterations in 74 genes. Alterations were reported either as pathogenic or non-pathogenic. We classified each gene alteration according to the different OncoKB therapeutic levels of evidence [LE]. Additionally, we gathered the dates of both blood collection and molecular report. In case the molecular report showed no tumor-related alterations, it was interpreted as either absence of detectable mutations or low ctDNA levels, which would translate low disease burden or pts responding to therapy. Demographic and clinical data have been accessed from the medical records. Results: From 08/2019 to 09/2021 we collected blood samples from 94 PDAC pts. 56% of them were male and 53% were &gt;65 years old. At the time of sample collection, nearly all pts were metastatic (98%). Regarding previous lines of Tx, 57% pts were Tx naïve; 10% were receiving active systemic Tx and 33% had experienced disease progression. Molecular reports were available in an average of 9.1 days. A total of 243 gene alterations were detected, having 94% of pts at least 1 genomic alteration, which was pathogenic in 69% of the cases (see Table). There were no pathogenic alterations ranked as OncoKB LE 1-2 ( MSI or NTRK). Seventy alterations (30%) were ranked as OncoKB LE 3A and 4 ( ARID1A, BRAC2, CDKN2A, KRAS). Three of these pts were treated with PARP inhibitors due to the presence of BRCA2 mutations. No ctDNA was detected in 15 pts (16%), despite being the sample collected &gt;10 days from receiving their last Tx. Of these, 11 had low tumor burden (only peritoneal or lung metastases) and 4 had documented response to the Tx by the time the samples were collected. Conclusions: Real-time and prospective genomic profiling of pts with advanced PDAC using ctDNA is feasible and conveniently fast, which would allow its role in identifying and developing therapeutic targets for approved Tx or clinical trial treatments. [Table: see text]

Allele frequency and proportion defined by circulating tumor DNA profiling predict tyrosine kinase inhibitors' therapeutic outcomes for non-small cell lung cancer.

Circulating tumor DNA is more and more accessible for patients who cannot undergo biopsy. No consistent conclusion has been reached on whether frequency and proportion of mutations defined by ctDNA profiling can predict therapeutic outcomes. One hundred patients with non-small cell lung cancer harboring activating EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletion, L858R and T790M mutation) were collected in West China hospital from December 18, 2017 to December 31, 2019. We retrospectively analyzed the frequency and proportion distribution of ctDNA mutations and its relationship with tyrosine kinase inhibitors therapeutic outcomes. Patients with lower frequency of sensitizing EGFR mutations (< 3%) had a longer progression-free survival (PFS) time than those with higher frequency (15months vs. 10months, p = 0.028). Moreover, patients with the lower ratio of T790M mutation frequency and the maximum-somatic-allele-frequency (T790M/MSAF < 30%) had a less prolonged PFS than those with higher T790M/MSAF (7months vs. 15months, p = 0.013). The frequency and proportion of ctDNA mutations are worth clinical attention in the prediction of therapeutic outcomes.

Case Report: Molecular Profiling Assists in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer of Unknown Primary

BackgroundFor cancer of unknown primary (CUP), non-selective empiric chemotherapy is usually used. However, patients suffering from CUP are generally assumed to have a dismal prognosis with median overall survival of less than 1 year. Therefore, clinicians eagerly await the establishment of effective strategies for diagnosis and treatment. In recent years, the remarkable advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology have enabled the wide usage of DNA/RNA sequencing to comprehensively analyze the molecular information of individual tumors and identify potential targets for patients’ diagnosis and treatment. Here, we describe a patient of CUP who was successfully diagnosed and treated with targeted therapy directed by comprehensive molecular profiling.Case PresentationA 61-year-old Asian woman with a painless, slow-growing mass lesion in the mesosternum underwent fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography and was found to have malignant metastatic tumors in the mesosternum. Conventional pathological examination of metastatic lesions could not conclude the primary origin of the tumors. The patient was diagnosed with CUP at first. Then, comprehensive molecular profiling was employed to identify the tumor origin and genetic alterations. A gene expression-based tissue origin assay was performed using a tissue biopsy sample. The test result suggested that the lesion tumors might be breast cancer metastasis. Furthermore, liquid biopsy-based circulating tumor DNA profiling detected an ERBB2 copy number amplification. Subsequent surgery and additional postoperative pathology analysis confirmed that the primary tumor site was indeed located in the right outer upper quadrant of the breast. After local surgical resection, the patient received 8 cycles of Docetaxel + Carboplatin + Trastuzumab + Pertuzumab (TCbHP) chemotherapy with subsequent human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted maintenance therapy. Currently, the patient is on regular follow-up and has achieved disease control for up to 6 months.ConclusionOur findings suggest that molecular identification of the tumor origin and the detection of actionable molecular alterations may offer promise for improved diagnostic accuracy and important therapeutic implications for patients with the CUP syndrome.

Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling of a Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Patient with Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Simple SummaryLiquid biopsy is a diagnostic procedure in which a blood sample taken from a cancer patient is searched for cell-free DNA that originates from tumor cells in the body. Analysis and quantification of this so-called circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can help to monitor therapy response and help to detect relapse earlier than routine clinical diagnostics. In this study, we report on a patient diagnosed with lymphoma who developed therapy-related acute leukemia and whom we profiled with liquid biopsy in blood samples taken at 13 time points over 26 weeks. Our liquid biopsy strategy used a combination of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and tumor-specific digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) assays. This strategy revealed not only lymphoma mutation dynamics during treatment, but was also able to capture the onset of therapy-related acute leukemia by detecting two leukemia specific mutations. We conclude that liquid biopsy based on analyzing ctDNA by combining targeted NGS with mutation-specific dPCR is a feasible tool for monitoring treatment response in lymphoma patients and is also capable of detecting therapy-related acute leukemia.Diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL) are the most common neoplasia of the lymphatic system. Circulating cell-free DNA released from tumor cells (ctDNA) has been studied in many tumor entities and successfully used to monitor treatment and follow up. Studies of ctDNA in DLBCL so far have mainly focused on tracking mutations in peripheral blood initially detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS) of tumor tissue from one lymphoma manifestation site. This approach, however, cannot capture the mutational heterogeneity of different tumor sites in its entirety. In this case report, we present repetitive targeted next-generation sequencing combined with digital PCR out of peripheral blood of a patient with DLBCL relapse. By combining both detection methods, we were able to detect a new dominant clone of ctDNA correlating with the development of secondary therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) during the course of observation. Conclusively, our case report reinforces the diagnostic importance of ctDNA in DLBCL as well as the importance of repeated ctDNA sequencing combined with focused digital PCR assays to display the dynamic mutational landscape during the clinical course.

Longitudinal Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer During Anti-EGFR Therapy

BackgroundMetastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is a heterogenous disease with limited precision medicine and targeted therapy options. Monoclonal antibodies against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been a crucial treatment option for mCRC. However, proper biomarkers for predicting therapeutic response remain unknown. As a non-invasive test, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is appropriately positioned to reveal tumor heterogeneity and evolution, as it can be used in real-time genomic profiling. To evaluate the significance of ctDNA in monitoring the dynamic therapeutic response and prognosis of mCRC, we detected the baseline and dynamic changes of ctDNA in mCRC patients receiving anti-EGFR therapies.MethodsA single-center study was conducted retrospectively. Plasma samples from mCRC patients who received anti-EGFR therapies were collected at baseline and continuous treatment points. The ctDNA was extracted and sequenced with a target panel of tumor-related genes via next-generation sequencing (NGS). Clinical information was also collected and analyzed.ResultsWe conducted dynamic sampling of 22 mCRC patients, analyzed 130 plasma samples, obtained a baseline genomic mutation profile of the patients. In total, 54 variations were detected in 22 plasma samples, with a positive rate of 77.3% (17/22). TP53 was the most mutated gene (59.1%, 13/22), followed by APC (18.2%, 4/22). There was a high concordance rate of genomic characteristics between the tumor tissue test by polymerase chain reaction and ctDNA test by NGS. The mutation discrepancy increased with an extended course of treatment. During remission TP53 and APC were the most frequently decreased clonal mutations and KRAS, NRAS, ERBB2 and PIK3CA were the most decreased subclonal mutations. Both mutation types were increased during progression. The ctDNA decreased earlier than did the responses of computed tomography and traditional tumor markers (carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA]). Lactate dehydrogenase level (P = 0.041), CEA level (P = 0.038), and primary lesion site (P = 0.038) were independent risk factors that influenced overall survival. Moreover, patients with RAS mutations tended to have a worse prognosis (P = 0.072).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that ctDNA is a promising biomarker for monitoring the dynamic response to treatment and determining the prognosis of mCRC.

Role of Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with EGFR Inhibitor

Objectives: During targeted therapy, tumor heterogeneity can drive the evolution of multiple tumor subclones harboring unique resistance mechanisms. Sequential profiling of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) provides a noninvasive method for early detection of patient progression. We investigated whether the genetic dynamics detected in cfDNA during treatment can act as a predictive or prognostic marker of outcome. Methods: Patients with advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were included for consecutive blood sampling during EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. Blood samples were serially collected from patients at baseline, first follow-up, and progression. Extracted cfDNA was analyzed with next-generation sequencing. Results: Serial plasma samples (n = 187) from 63 patients were analyzed, and 44 patients showed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). EGFR mutations were detected in 36 of the 44 patients at baseline (81.8%). EGFR mutations were no longer detected in 19 of 36 shedders (52.8%) at 2 months after EGFR-TKI treatment and rebounded with resistant EGFR mutations (T790M or C797S) at progression. Other driver mutations such as KRAS G12D and BRAF V600E were found at baseline regardless of tissue EGFR status, suggesting tumor heterogeneity. Detection of ctDNA (shedder) at baseline associated with poor overall survival (p = 0.04) compared to nonshedder. Furthermore, in patients showing EGFR mutations in plasma at baseline, the clearing rate of those during the first 8 weeks of treatment served as a positive predictor for clinical outcome. Conclusion: Longitudinal liquid biopsies capture spatial and temporal heterogeneity underlining resistance to EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC. Thus, ctDNA monitoring during EGFR-TKI treatment is useful for detecting resistance mutations or predicting response. Dense serial monitoring using blood enables early prediction of treatment failure and provides a window of opportunity for well-timed intervention.

Randomized phase II trial of gemcitabine, avelumab and carboplatin versus no neoadjuvant therapy preceding surgery for cisplatin-ineligible muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (MIUC): SWOG GAP trial (S2011).

TPS591 Background: Neoadjuvant cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy improves survival in cisplatin-eligible patients (pts) with muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). An unmet need exists in cisplatin-ineligible pts with MIUC who are offered upfront surgery. Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been demonstrated to be safe and active although the benefit may not extend to the majority of pts. The combination of GCa and an ICI has been demonstrated to be safe and active in cisplatin-ineligible metastatic urothelial carcinoma. In the neoadjuvant setting, combination GCa and an ICI may improve outcomes across a broad group of MIUC by delivering early systemic therapy to pts with cisplatin-ineligible MIUC. We hypothesized that the combination of GCa and avelumab, a PD-L1 inhibitor, may improve pathologic complete remissions (pCR) and long-term outcomes compared to upfront surgery for MIUC (S2011, NCT04871529). Methods: This multicenter, randomized (1:1), open-label phase II trial is comparing the combination of GCa and avelumab (Arm A) as neoadjuvant therapy vs. upfront surgery (Arm B) for pts with cisplatin-ineligible MIUC including MIBC and high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Adjuvant therapy following radical cystectomy, nephroureterectomy or ureterectomy is deferred to investigator discretion in both arms. Eligible pts include those with MIBC or high-grade UTUC with a predominant urothelial component who are cisplatin-ineligible (≥1 of: Zubrod performance status [PS] = 2, creatinine clearance [CrCl] 30 to &lt; 60 ml/min, neuropathy &gt; grade 1, hearing loss &gt; grade 1, congestive heart failure &gt; grade 2). The primary objective is pCR. The stratification factors include clinical stage (cT2N0M0 vs cT3-4aN0M0), Zubrod-PS (0-1 vs 2), CrCl (30 to &lt; 60 vs ≥ 60 ml/min). With 178 evaluable pts, the trial will have a power of 90% (using a 1-sided alpha 0.05) to detect pCR rate improvement from 15% to 35%. The secondary objectives are toxicities, resectability rates, surgical complications, event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Correlative studies include tumor molecular profiling, blood immune studies, circulating tumor-DNA profiling and radiomics. Arm A receives gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 IV days 1, 8 every 3 weeks x 4 cycles, carboplatin AUC 4.5 (escalated to AUC 5 from cycle 2 if tolerated in cycle 1) IV day 1 every 3 weeks x 4 cycles and avelumab 800 mg IV day 1 every 2 weeks x 6 cycles. Surgery is performed 4-8 weeks after the last neoadjuvant administration. The trial is funded by NIH/NCI grants U10CA180888, U10CA180819, U10CA180821, U10CA180820, U10CA180868, and in part by EMD Serono, as part of an alliance between the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (CrossRef Funder ID: 10.13039/100009945) and Pfizer. Clinical trial information: NCT04871529.