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Torresan S, de Scordilli M, Bortolot M, Di Nardo P, Foltran L, Fumagalli A, Guardascione M, Ongaro E, Puglisi F. Liquid biopsy in colorectal cancer: Onward and upward. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 194:104242. [PMID: 38128627 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In recent years, liquid biopsy has emerged as one of the most interesting areas of research in oncology, leading to innovative trials and practical changes in all aspects of CRC management. RNAs and cell free DNA (cfDNA) methylation are emerging as promising biomarkers for early diagnosis. Post-surgical circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) can aid in evaluating minimal residual disease and personalising adjuvant treatment. In rectal cancer, ctDNA could improve response assessment to neoadjuvant therapy and risk stratification, especially in the era of organ-preservation trials. In the advanced setting, ctDNA analysis offers the opportunity to monitor treatment response and identify driver and resistance mutations more comprehensively than traditional tissue analysis, providing prognostic and predictive information. The aim of this review is to provide a detailed overview of the clinical applications and future perspectives of liquid biopsy in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Torresan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; Department of Medicine, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Marco de Scordilli
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; Department of Medicine, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy.
| | - Martina Bortolot
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; Department of Medicine, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Paola Di Nardo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy
| | - Luisa Foltran
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy
| | - Arianna Fumagalli
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy
| | - Michela Guardascione
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy
| | - Elena Ongaro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy
| | - Fabio Puglisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; Department of Medicine, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
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Parseghian CM, Sun R, Woods M, Napolitano S, Lee HM, Alshenaifi J, Willis J, Nunez S, Raghav KP, Morris VK, Shen JP, Eluri M, Sorokin A, Kanikarla P, Vilar E, Rehn M, Ang A, Troiani T, Kopetz S. Resistance Mechanisms to Anti-Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Therapy in RAS/RAF Wild-Type Colorectal Cancer Vary by Regimen and Line of Therapy. J Clin Oncol 2023; 41:460-471. [PMID: 36351210 PMCID: PMC9870238 DOI: 10.1200/jco.22.01423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Acquired resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor (EGFRi) therapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) has previously been explained by the model of acquiring new mutations in KRAS/NRAS/EGFR, among other MAPK-pathway members. However, this was primarily on the basis of single-agent EGFRi trials and little is known about the resistance mechanisms of EGFRi combined with effective cytotoxic chemotherapy in previously untreated patients. METHODS We analyzed paired plasma samples from patients with RAS/BRAF/EGFR wild-type metastatic CRC enrolled in three large randomized trials evaluating EGFRi in the first line in combination with chemotherapy and as a single agent in third line. The mutational signature of the alterations acquired with therapy was evaluated. CRC cell lines with resistance to cetuximab, infusional fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin, and SN38 were developed, and transcriptional changes profiled. RESULTS Patients whose tumors were treated with and responded to EGFRi alone were more likely to develop acquired mutations (46%) compared with those treated in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy (9%). Furthermore, contrary to the generally accepted hypothesis of the clonal evolution of acquired resistance, we demonstrate that baseline resistant subclonal mutations rarely expanded to become clonal at progression, and most remained subclonal or disappeared. Consistent with this clinical finding, preclinical models with acquired resistance to either cetuximab or chemotherapy were cross-resistant to the alternate agents, with transcriptomic profiles consistent with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. By contrast, commonly acquired resistance alterations in the MAPK pathway do not affect sensitivity to cytotoxic chemotherapy. CONCLUSION These findings support a model of resistance whereby transcriptomic mechanisms of resistance predominate in the presence of active cytotoxic chemotherapy combined with EGFRi, with a greater predominance of acquired MAPK mutations after single-agent EGFRi. The proposed model has implications for prospective studies evaluating EGFRi rechallenge strategies guided by acquired MAPK mutations, and highlights the need to address transcriptional mechanisms of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M. Parseghian
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Ryan Sun
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Melanie Woods
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Stefania Napolitano
- Department of Precision Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Napoli, Campania, Italy
| | - Hey Min Lee
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Jumanah Alshenaifi
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Jason Willis
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Shakayla Nunez
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Kanwal P. Raghav
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Van K. Morris
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - John P. Shen
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Madhulika Eluri
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Alexey Sorokin
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Preeti Kanikarla
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Eduardo Vilar
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
- Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | | | | | - Teresa Troiani
- Department of Precision Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Napoli, Campania, Italy
| | - Scott Kopetz
- Division of Cancer Medicine, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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Eluri M, Kopetz S, Parseghian CM. Truncal Dynamics May Trump: Serial ctDNA to Predict Early Therapeutic Response. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:302-304. [PMID: 36378102 PMCID: PMC9852066 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-2793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY Promising utility of using serial ctDNA in metastatic colorectal cancer to both refine patient selection, reduce toxicity due to chemotherapy, and to evaluate emerging resistance mechanisms may lead the way to novel therapeutic strategies. However, important questions remain in validating its use as a predictive biomarker of treatment response. See related article by Vidal et al., p. 379.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhulika Eluri
- Department of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Scott Kopetz
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christine M. Parseghian
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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Lam RCT, Johnson D, Lam G, Li MLY, Wong JWL, Lam WKJ, Chan KCA, Ma B. Clinical applications of circulating tumor-derived DNA in the management of gastrointestinal cancers – current evidence and future directions. Front Oncol 2022; 12:970242. [PMID: 36248993 PMCID: PMC9556664 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.970242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies have enabled the accurate detection and quantification of circulating tumor-derived (ct)DNA in most gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. The prognostic and predictive utility of ctDNA in patiets with different stages of colorectal (CRC), gastro-esophageal (GEC) and pancreaticobiliary cancers (PBC) are currently under active investigation. The most mature clinical data to date are derived from studies in the prognostic utility of personalized ctDNA-based NGS assays in the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) and early recurrence after surgery in CRC and other GI cancers. These findings are being validated in several prospective studies which are designed to test if ctDNA could outperform conventional approaches in guiding adjuvant chemotherapy, and in post-operative surveillance in some GI cancers. Several adaptive studies using ctDNA as a screening platform are also being used to identify patients with actionable genomic alterations for clinical trials of targeted therapies. In the palliative setting, ctDNA monitoring during treatment has shown promise in the detection and tracking of clonal variants associated with acquired resistance to targeted therapies and immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Moreover, ctDNA may help to guide the therapeutic re-challenge of targeted therapies in patients who have prior exposure to such treatment. This review will examine the most updated research findings on ctDNA as a biomarker in CRC, GEC and PBCs. It aims to provide insights into how the unique strengths of this biomarker could be optimally leveraged in improving the management of these GI cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C. T. Lam
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David Johnson
- Department of Clinical Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Sir Y. K Pao Centre for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Gigi Lam
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michelle L. Y. Li
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Joyce W. L. Wong
- Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - W. K. Jacky Lam
- Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - K. C. Allen Chan
- Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Brigette Ma
- Department of Clinical Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Sir Y. K Pao Centre for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Brigette Ma,
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