The liquid biopsy: a tool for a combined diagnostic and theranostic approach for care of a patient with late-stage lung carcinoma presenting with bilateral ocular metastases

Small cell transformation in crizotinib-resistant ROS1-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer with retention of ROS1 fusion: A case report

C-ros oncogene 1 receptor tyrosine kinase (ROS1) rearrangement has been detected in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) provide a survival benefit for patients with ROS1-rearranged advanced NSCLC, subsequent therapy remains limited. Small cell transformation is an important mechanism of drug resistance in epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant NSCLC. However, its significance in mediating ROS1 resistance has not been determined yet. Here, we present the case of a 63-year-old man with ROS1-rearranged advanced NSCLC who had disease progression with small cell transformation of the mediastinal lymph node after 8 months of treatment with crizotinib. More importantly, fluorescence in situ hybridization of post-progression tumor biopsy demonstrated retention of ROS1 rearrangement. Tissue biopsy remains indispensable for patients who acquire resistance to ROS1 TKIs.

Next-Generation Sequencing with Liquid Biopsies from Treatment-Naïve Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Patients

Recently, the liquid biopsy (LB), a non-invasive and easy to repeat approach, has started to compete with the tissue biopsy (TB) for detection of targets for administration of therapeutic strategies for patients with advanced stages of lung cancer at tumor progression. A LB at diagnosis of late stage non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is also being performed. It may be asked if a LB can be complementary (according to the clinical presentation or systematics) or even an alternative to a TB for treatment-naïve advanced NSCLC patients. Nucleic acid analysis with a TB by next-generation sequencing (NGS) is gradually replacing targeted sequencing methods for assessment of genomic alterations in lung cancer patients with tumor progression, but also at baseline. However, LB is still not often used in daily practice for NGS. This review addresses different aspects relating to the use of LB for NGS at diagnosis in advanced NSCLC, including its advantages and limitations.

Detecting Resistance to Therapeutic ALK Inhibitors in Tumor Tissue and Liquid Biopsy Markers: An Update to a Clinical Routine Practice

The survival of most patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer is prolonged by several months when they are treated with first- and next-generation inhibitors targeting ALK rearrangements, but resistance inevitably emerges. Some of the mechanisms of resistance are sensitive to novel ALK inhibitors but after an initial tumor response, more or less long-term resistance sets in. Therefore, to adapt treatment it is necessary to repeat biological sampling over time to look for different mechanisms of resistance. To this aim it is essential to obtain liquid and/or tissue biopsies to detect therapeutic targets, in particular for the analysis of different genomic alterations. This review discusses the mechanisms of resistance to therapeutics targeting genomic alterations in ALK as well as the advantages and the limitations of liquid biopsies for their identification.

Liquid Biopsy for Solid Ophthalmic Malignancies: An Updated Review and Perspectives

Simple Summary

To date, there is no treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma. Identifying its metastatic spread is essential. Liquid biopsy can identify patients at risk of metastatic spread early. Here, we aim to summarize the current knowledge of liquid biopsy in ophthalmic malignant tumors, including uveal melanoma. Our objective is to establish the current state of liquid biopsy in the ophthalmic field, as well as its perspectives and limitations.

Abstract

Tissue biopsy is considered the gold standard when establishing a diagnosis of cancer. However, tissue biopsies of intraocular ophthalmic malignancies are hard to collect and are thought to be associated with a non-negligible risk of extraocular dissemination. Recently, the liquid biopsy (LB) has emerged as a viable, non-invasive, repeatable, and promising way of obtaining a diagnosis, prognosis, and theragnosis of patients with solid tumors. LB refers to blood, as well as any human liquid. The natural history of uveal melanoma (UM) and retinoblastoma (RB) are radically opposed. On the one hand, UM is known to disseminate through the bloodstream, and is, therefore, more accessible to systemic venous liquid biopsy. On the other hand, RB rarely disseminates hematogenous, and is, therefore, more accessible to local liquid biopsy by performing an anterior chamber puncture. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge concerning LB in UM, RB, conjunctival tumors, and choroidal metastases. We also develop the current limitations encountered, as well as the perspectives.

[Immunohistochemical and molecular pathological diagnosis of lung carcinoma]

The therapy of lung cancer has revolutionarily changed within the last 15 years. The prognosis of patients has dramatically improved due to targeted therapies, for instance tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Current recruiting studies are testing new MET-, KRAS-, ROS1-, RET- and NTRK-inhibitors. The first clinical data are promising, emphasizing that it remains a future challenge for pathologists and oncologists to keep an eye on all facets of therapy options. Today, precise lung cancer classification via immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology is crucial for the therapy and prognosis of patients. Further, new biopsy technologies lead to very small tumor tissue samples and cytological samples of high diagnostic quality. Therefore, the complexity of diagnosis needs a strategic procedure to minimize loss of tissue material. This assay gives an overview of efficient and target-orientated diagnostic procedures in consideration of current clinical trials.

Critical Assessment in Routine Clinical Practice of Liquid Biopsy for EGFR Status Testing in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Single-Laboratory Experience (LPCE, Nice, France)

BACKGROUND

The introduction of liquid biopsy using PCR-based assays into routine practice has had a strong impact on the treatment of EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma and is now commonly used for routine testing of EGFR mutations in certain clinical settings. To assess whether the claimed benefits of PCR-based assays hold true in daily practice at a multicenter clinical institution, we assessed how treatment decisions are affected by PCR-based assays for the analysis of EGFR mutations from plasma samples in a centralized laboratory (LPCE, Nice, France).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 345 samples were analyzed using the US Food and Drug Administration-approved Cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2 and 103 using the Therascreen EGFR Plasma RGQ PCR Kit over 3 years (395 samples from 324 patients). Eleven plasma samples were validated independently using Cobas at 3 institutions, and 130 samples were analyzed using Stilla digital PCR. Clinical data were collected for 175 (54%) of 324 patients.

RESULTS

Cobas was superior to the Therascreen assay and demonstrated 100% reproducibility. Digital PCR showed only 48%, 83%, and 58% concordance with Cobas for exon 19 deletions, L858R mutations, and T790M mutations, respectively. Liquid biopsies helped inform and change treatment when resistance occurred and enabled the detection of EGFR mutations in patients when biopsy tissue results were unavailable.

CONCLUSION

PCR-based assays are a fast and convenient test, allowing the detection of primary and secondary EGFR mutations from plasma. Cobas proved to be a reliable test, whereas digital PCR produced too many inconclusive results to be currently recommended as a principal testing device.

The Value of Liquid Biopsies for Guiding Therapy Decisions in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Targeted therapies have allowed for an individualized treatment approach in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The initial therapeutic decisions and success of targeted therapy depend on genetic identification of personal tumor profiles. Tissue biopsy is the gold standard for molecular analysis, but non-invasive or minimally invasive liquid biopsy methods are also now used in clinical practice, allowing for later monitoring and optimization of the cancer treatment. The inclusion of liquid biopsy in the management of NSCLC provides strong evidence on early treatment response, which becomes a basis for determining disease progression and the need for changes in treatment. Liquid biopsies can drive the decision making for treatment strategies to achieve better patient outcomes. Cell-free DNA and circulating tumor cells obtained from the blood are promising markers for determining patient status. They may improve cancer treatments, allow for better treatment control, enable early interventions, and change decision making from reactive actions toward more predictive early interventions. This review aimed to present current knowledge on and the usefulness of liquid biopsy studies in NSCLC from the perspective of how it has allowed individualized treatments according to gene profiling and how the method may alter the treatment decisions in the future.

The challenges of evaluating predictive biomarkers using small biopsy tissue samples and liquid biopsies from non-small cell lung cancer patients

The list of theranostic biomarkers for the care of patients with advanced stage or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer has lengthened considerably these last few years. Moreover, the advances in therapeutics will certainly increase the number and complexity of these tests performed in laboratories in the near future. In addition, the methods for investigation of biomarkers that require access to biological tissue are less and less invasive with the consequential increase in the use of small-sized tissue biopsies and cytological and blood samples. Thus, each laboratory must master the management of the biological samples according to the number and type of tests to be performed. This review will provide an update of the difference challenges facing pathologists and biologist in responding to the issues related to new treatments. These challenges concern: (I) the management of the pre-analytical phase; (II) the appropriate choice of the technological approach; (III) the performance of quality control; (IV) the mastering of the delay in obtaining the results; and (V) the economic model of the laboratory.

New concepts in the diagnosis and management of choroidal metastases

The most frequent site of ocular metastasis is the choroid. The occurrence of choroidal metastases has increased steadily due to the longer survival of metastatic patients and the improvement of diagnostic tools. Fundoscopy, ultrasonography, and fluorescein angiography are now complemented by indocyanine green angiography and optical coherence tomography. Choroidal tumor biopsy may also confirm the metastatic nature of the tumor and help to determine the site of the primary malignancy. There is currently no consensus on the treatment strategy. Most patients have a limited life expectancy and for these complex treatments are generally not recommended. However, recent advances in systemic therapy have significantly improved survival of certain patients who may benefit from an aggressive ocular approach that could preserve vision. Although external beam radiation therapy is the most widely used treatment, more advanced forms of radiotherapy that are associated with fewer side effects can be proposed in select cases. In patients with a shorter life expectancy, systemic therapies such as those targeting oncogenic drivers, or immunotherapy can induce a regression of the choroidal metastases, and may be sufficient to temporarily decrease visual symptoms. However, they often acquire resistance to systemic treatment and ocular relapse usually requires radiotherapy for durable control. Less invasive office-based treatments, such as photodynamic therapy and intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF, may also help to preserve vision while reducing time spent in medical settings for patients in palliative care. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on choroidal metastases, with emphasis on the most recent findings in epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment.

Liquid Biopsy and Therapeutic Targets: Present and Future Issues in Thoracic Oncology

The practice of liquid biopsy (LB) has revolutionized the care of patients with metastatic lung cancer. Many oncologists now use this approach in daily practice, applying precise procedures for the detection of activating or resistance mutations in EGFR. These tests are performed with plasma DNA and have been approved as companion diagnostic test for patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. ALK is another important target in lung cancer since it leads to treatment of patients who are positive for a rearrangement in ALK identified with tumor tissue. By analogy with EGFR, LB for detection of genomic alterations in ALK (rearrangements or mutations) has been rapidly adopted in the clinic. However, this promising approach has some limitations and has not yet been disseminated as much as the blood test targeting EGFR. In addition to these two therapeutic targets LB can be used for evaluation of the genomic status of other genes of interest of patients with lung cancer (ROS1, RET, NTRK MET, BRAF, HER2, etc.). LB can be performed to evaluate a specific target or for a more or less complex panel of genes. Considering the number of potential targets for clinical trials, techniques of next-generation sequencing of circulating DNA are on the rise. This review will provide an update on the contribution of LB to care of patients with metastatic lung cancer, including the present limits of this approach, and will consider certain perspectives.