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DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1771193
BL-MOL-AR Project, Preliminary Results about Liquid Biopsy: Molecular Approach Experience and Research Activity in Oncological Settings
Funding This work was supported through equipment donations by CALCIT, the Independent Committee for the Fight against Tumors from Arezzo, and the Committee for Life from Grosseto. Resources were also used from the structural fund of the Department of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine of the South East Tuscany local health unit (BL-MOL-AR project, CINECA registration number: 16609).
Abstract
Background Liquid biopsy is mainly used to identify tumor cells in pulmonary neoplasms. It is more often used in research than in clinical practice. The BL-MOL-AR study aims to investigate the efficacy of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and clinical interpretation of the circulating free DNA (cfDNA) levels. This study reports the preliminary results from the first samples analyzed from patients affected by various neoplasms: lung, intestinal, mammary, gastric, biliary, and cutaneous.
Methods The Biopsia Liquida-Molecolare-Arezzo study aims to enroll cancer patients affected by various malignancies, including pulmonary, intestinal, advanced urothelial, biliary, breast, cutaneous, and gastric malignancies. Thirty-nine patients were included in this preliminary report.
At time zero, a liquid biopsy is executed, and two types of NGS panels are performed, comprising 17 genes in panel 1, which is already used in the routine tissue setting, and 52 genes in panel 2. From the 7th month after enrollment, 10 sequential liquid biopsies are performed up to the 17th month. The variant allele frequency (%) and cfDNA levels (ng/mL) are measured in every plasmatic sample.
Results The NGS results obtained by different panels are similar even though the number of mutations is more concordant for lung pathologies. There are no significant differences in the actionability levels of the identified variants. Most of the molecular profiles of liquid biopsies reflect tissue data.
Conclusions Preliminary data from this study confirm the need to clarify the limitations and potential of liquid biopsy beyond the lung setting. Overall, parameters related to cfDNA levels and variant allele frequency could provide important indications for prognosis and disease monitoring.
Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate
The current study was performed in accordance with the ethical guidelines established by the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants in this study provided informed consent as approved by the ethics committee of the South East Tuscany local health unit.
Consent for Publication
Not applicable.
Availability of Data and Materials
Datasets and custom scripts are available upon request.
Author Contributions
FB and PB organized the recruitment agenda and FB together with CB, SG, MPR, SD, CM, and RS carried out the visits. AM, FP, MR, and SB performed the primary analyses of the NGS data. AC, NLD, VV, AB, FB, RO, LP, LL, and AC examined the histological preparations. RP, SV, SL, FR, and CR processed the blood samples and set up the molecular investigations. DV carried out the radio diagnostic investigations. AD and SD provided the facilities. AO conceived the project and AP wrote it, processed and interpreted the data, and wrote the manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Publikationsverlauf
Artikel online veröffentlicht:
14. Juli 2023
© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
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