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Panettieri E, Campisi A, De Rose AM, Mele C, Giuliante F, Vauthey JN, Ardito F. Emerging Prognostic Markers in Patients Undergoing Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Narrative Review. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2183. [PMID: 38927889 PMCID: PMC11201456 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16122183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver resection is potentially curative. Nevertheless, post-operative recurrence is common, occurring in up to 70% of patients. Factors traditionally recognized to predict recurrence and survival after liver resection for HCC include pathologic factors (i.e., microvascular and capsular invasion) and an increase in alpha-fetoprotein level. During the past decade, many new markers have been reported to correlate with prognosis after resection of HCC: liquid biopsy markers, gene signatures, inflammation markers, and other biomarkers, including PIVKA-II, immune checkpoint molecules, and proteins in urinary exosomes. However, not all of these new markers are readily available in clinical practice, and their reproducibility is unclear. Liquid biopsy is a powerful and established tool for predicting long-term outcomes after resection of HCC; the main limitation of liquid biopsy is represented by the cost related to its technical implementation. Numerous patterns of genetic expression capable of predicting survival after curative-intent hepatectomy for HCC have been identified, but published findings regarding these markers are heterogenous. Inflammation markers in the form of prognostic nutritional index and different blood cell ratios seem more easily reproducible and more affordable on a large scale than other emerging markers. To select the most effective treatment for patients with HCC, it is crucial that the scientific community validate new predictive markers for recurrence and survival after resection that are reliable and widely reproducible. More reports from Western countries are necessary to corroborate the evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Panettieri
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Andrea Campisi
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
| | - Agostino M. De Rose
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
| | - Caterina Mele
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
| | - Felice Giuliante
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
| | - Jean-Nicolas Vauthey
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Francesco Ardito
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.D.R.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (F.A.)
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Montgomery A, Tsiatsianis GC, Mouratidis I, Chan CSY, Athanasiou M, Papanastasiou AD, Kantere V, Syrigos N, Vathiotis I, Syrigos K, Yee NS, Georgakopoulos-Soares I. Utilizing nullomers in cell-free RNA for early cancer detection. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:861-870. [PMID: 38351138 PMCID: PMC11192629 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-024-00741-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Early detection of cancer can significantly improve patient outcomes; however, sensitive and highly specific biomarkers for cancer detection are currently missing. Nullomers are the shortest sequences that are absent from the human genome but can emerge due to somatic mutations in cancer. We examine over 10,000 whole exome sequencing matched tumor-normal samples to characterize nullomer emergence across exonic regions of the genome. We also identify nullomer emerging mutational hotspots within tumor genes. Finally, we provide evidence for the identification of nullomers in cell-free RNA from peripheral blood samples, enabling detection of multiple tumor types. We show multiple tumor classification models with an AUC greater than 0.9, including a hepatocellular carcinoma classifier with an AUC greater than 0.99.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Montgomery
- Institute for Personalized Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Georgios Christos Tsiatsianis
- Institute for Personalized Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Mouratidis
- Institute for Personalized Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Candace S Y Chan
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria Athanasiou
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Verena Kantere
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikos Syrigos
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Vathiotis
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Syrigos
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Nelson S Yee
- Next Generation Therapies Program, Penn State Cancer Institute; Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Ilias Georgakopoulos-Soares
- Institute for Personalized Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
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Du J, Zhang E, Huang Z. The predictive value of next generation sequencing for matching advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients to targeted and immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1358306. [PMID: 38665910 PMCID: PMC11043782 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1358306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Targeted and Immunotherapy has emerged as a new first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). To identify the appropriate targeted and immunotherapy, we implemented next generation sequencing (NGS) to provide predictive and prognostic values for aHCC patients. Methods Pretreatment samples from 127 HCC patients were examined for genomic changes using 680-gene NGS, and PD-L1 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Demographic and treatment data were included for analyses of links among treatment outcomes, drug responses, and genetic profiles. A prognostic index model for predicting benefit from treatment was constructed, taking into account of biomarkers, including TP53, TERT, PD-L1, and tumor mutation burden (TMB) as possible independent prognostic factors. Results The multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that PD-L1≥1% (HR 25.07, 95%CI 1.56 - 403.29, p=0.023), TMB≥5Mb (HR 86.67, 95% CI 4.00 - 1876.48, p=0.004), TERT MU (HR 84.09, 95% CI 5.23 - 1352.70, p=0.002) and TP53 WT (HR 0.01, 95%CI 0.00 - 0.47, p=0.022) were independent risk factors for overall survival (OS), even after adjusting for various confounders. A prognostic nomogram for OS was developed, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.91, 0.85, and 0.98 at 1-, 2-, and 3- year, respectively, and a prognostic index cutoff of 1.2. According to the cutoff value, the patients were divided into the high-risk group (n=29) and low-risk group (n=98). The benefit of targeted and immunotherapy in the low-risk group was not distinguishable according to types of agents. However, treatment of Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab appeared to provide longer OS in the high-risk group (12 months vs 9.2, 9, or 5 months for other treatments, p<0.001). Conclusion The prognostic model constructed by PD-L1, TMB, TERT, and TP53 can identify aHCC patients who would benefit from targeted and immunotherapy, providing insights for the personalized treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erlei Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhiyong Huang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Adhit KK, Wanjari A, Menon S, K S. Liquid Biopsy: An Evolving Paradigm for Non-invasive Disease Diagnosis and Monitoring in Medicine. Cureus 2023; 15:e50176. [PMID: 38192931 PMCID: PMC10772356 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy stands as an innovative instrument in the realm of precision medicine, enabling non-invasive disease diagnosis and the early detection of cancer. Liquid biopsy helps in the extraction of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from blood samples and other body fluids, thereby facilitating disease diagnosis and prediction of high-risk patients. Various techniques such as advanced sequencing methods and biomarker-based cell capture have led to the isolation and study of the different biomarkers such as ctDNA, cfDNA, and CTCs. These biopsies also have immense potential in the early detection and diagnosis of various diseases across all medical specialties, prediction and screening of high-risk cases, and detection of different immune response patterns in response to infectious diseases, and also help in predicting treatment outcomes. Although liquid biopsy has the potential to disrupt the field of medical diagnosis, it is met by various challenges such as limited tumor-derived components, less specificity, and inadequate advancement in methods to isolate biomarkers. Despite all these challenges, liquid biopsies provide the potential to become a minimally invasive method of diagnosis that would facilitate real-time monitoring of patients, which differentiates them from traditional tissue biopsies. This article aims to provide a complete overview of the current technologies, different biomarkers, and body fluids that can be used in liquid biopsy and its clinical applications and the potential impact that liquid biopsy holds in the field of precision medicine, facilitating early diagnosis and prompt management of various diseases and cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanishk K Adhit
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Anil Wanjari
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Sharanya Menon
- Pathology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Siddhaarth K
- Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
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5
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Manea I, Iacob R, Iacob S, Cerban R, Dima S, Oniscu G, Popescu I, Gheorghe L. Liquid biopsy for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1218705. [PMID: 37809326 PMCID: PMC10556479 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1218705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly prevalent and lethal cancer globally. Over 90% of HCC cases arise in the context of liver cirrhosis, and the severity of the underlying liver disease or advanced tumor stage at diagnosis significantly limits treatment options. Early diagnosis is crucial, and all guidelines stress the importance of screening protocols for HCC early detection as a public health objective. As serum biomarkers are not optimal for early diagnosis, liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising tool for diagnosis, prognostication, and patients' stratification for personalized therapy in various solid tumors, including HCC. While circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are better suited for personalized therapy and prognosis, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and extracellular vesicle-based technologies show potential for early diagnosis, HCC screening, and surveillance protocols. Evaluating the added value of liquid biopsy genetic and epigenetic biomarkers for HCC screening is a key goal in translational research. Somatic mutations commonly found in HCC can be investigated in cfDNA and plasma exosomes as genetic biomarkers. Unique methylation patterns in cfDNA or cfDNA fragmentome features have been suggested as innovative tools for early HCC detection. Likewise, extracellular vesicle cargo biomarkers such as miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs may serve as potential biomarkers for early HCC detection. This review will explore recent findings on the utility of liquid biopsy for early HCC diagnosis. Combining liquid biopsy methods with traditional serological biomarkers could improve the overall diagnostic accuracy for early HCC detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana Manea
- “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Digestive Diseases and Liver Transplantation Center, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
- Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Razvan Iacob
- “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Digestive Diseases and Liver Transplantation Center, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
- Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Speranta Iacob
- “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Digestive Diseases and Liver Transplantation Center, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
- Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Razvan Cerban
- “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Digestive Diseases and Liver Transplantation Center, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
- Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Simona Dima
- “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Digestive Diseases and Liver Transplantation Center, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
- Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Gabriel Oniscu
- Transplant Division, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Irinel Popescu
- Digestive Diseases and Liver Transplantation Center, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
- Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Liliana Gheorghe
- “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Digestive Diseases and Liver Transplantation Center, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
- Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
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Jeepalyam S, Sheel A, Ejaz A, Miller E, Manne A. Is Cell-Free DNA Testing in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Ready for Prime Time? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14231. [PMID: 37762533 PMCID: PMC10531802 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814231] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Revamping the current biomarker landscape of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cell-free DNA (cfDNA) could improve overall outcomes. The use of commercially available cfDNA testing (also known as liquid biopsy) is limited by the low prevalence of targetable mutations and does not have any prognostic or predictive value. Thus, current cfDNA testing cannot be relied upon for perioperative risk stratification (POR), including early detection of recurrence, long-term surveillance, predicting outcomes, and treatment response. Prior evidence on cfDNA mutation profiling (non-specific detection or gene panel testing) suggests that it can be a reliable tool for POR and prognostication, but it still requires significant improvements. cfDNA methylation changes or epigenetic markers have not been explored extensively, but early studies have shown potential for it to be a prognostic biomarker tool. The predictive value of cfDNA (mutations and EM) to assist treatment selection (systemic therapy, immune-checkpoint inhibitor vs. tyrosine kinase inhibitor) and to monitor response to systemic and locoregional therapies should be a future area of focus. We highlighted the unmet needs in the HCC management and the current role of cfDNA testing in HCC in addressing them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sravan Jeepalyam
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Ankur Sheel
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Aslam Ejaz
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 320 W. 10th Ave., M-260 Starling-Loving Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Eric Miller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ashish Manne
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Spârchez Z, Crăciun R, Nenu I, Mocan LP, Spârchez M, Mocan T. Refining Liver Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An In-Depth Exploration of Shifting Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2324. [PMID: 37626820 PMCID: PMC10452389 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has faced significant change on multiple levels in the past few years. The increasing emphasis on the various HCC phenotypes and the emergence of novel, specific therapies have slowly paved the way for a personalized approach to primary liver cancer. In this light, the role of percutaneous liver biopsy of focal lesions has shifted from a purely confirmatory method to a technique capable of providing an in-depth characterization of any nodule. Cancer subtype, gene expression, the mutational profile, and tissue biomarkers might soon become widely available through biopsy. However, indications, expectations, and techniques might suffer changes as the aim of the biopsy evolves from providing minimal proof of the disease to high-quality specimens for extensive analysis. Consequently, a revamped position of tissue biopsy is expected in HCC, following the reign of non-invasive imaging-only diagnosis. Moreover, given the advances in techniques that have recently reached the spotlight, such as liquid biopsy, concomitant use of all the available methods might gather just enough data to improve therapy selection and, ultimately, outcomes. The current review aims to discuss the changing role of liver biopsy and provide an evidence-based rationale for its use in the era of precision medicine in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeno Spârchez
- Department of Gastroenterology, “Prof. Dr. O. Fodor” Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (Z.S.); (I.N.); (T.M.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Rareș Crăciun
- Department of Gastroenterology, “Prof. Dr. O. Fodor” Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (Z.S.); (I.N.); (T.M.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Iuliana Nenu
- Department of Gastroenterology, “Prof. Dr. O. Fodor” Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (Z.S.); (I.N.); (T.M.)
- Department of Physiology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Lavinia Patricia Mocan
- Department of Histology, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Mihaela Spârchez
- 2nd Pediatric Department, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400124 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Tudor Mocan
- Department of Gastroenterology, “Prof. Dr. O. Fodor” Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (Z.S.); (I.N.); (T.M.)
- UBBMed Department, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Biglari N, Soltani-Zangbar MS, Mohammadian J, Mehdizadeh A, Abbasi K. ctDNA as a novel and promising approach for cancer diagnosis: a focus on hepatocellular carcinoma. EXCLI JOURNAL 2023; 22:752-780. [PMID: 37720239 PMCID: PMC10502204 DOI: 10.17179/excli2023-6277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer worldwide. Therefore, it is essential to diagnose and treat HCC patients promptly. As a novel discovery, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be used to analyze the tumor type and the cancer location. Additionally, ctDNA assists the cancer stage determination, which enables medical professionals to provide patients with the most appropriate treatment. This review will discuss the HCC-related mutated genes diagnosed by ctDNA. In addition, we will introduce the different and the most appropriate ctDNA diagnosis approaches based on the facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negin Biglari
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Sadegh Soltani-Zangbar
- Connective Tissue Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Jamal Mohammadian
- School of Advanced Medical Science, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Mehdizadeh
- Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Abbasi
- Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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Li M, Wu L, Luo S, Liu Y, Sun C, Li E, Wang J, Li B, Huang Z, Ge J, Lei J, Zhou F, Liao W. Validation of a supplementary condition of eighth AJCC staging system for stage II hepatocellular carcinoma. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY 2023; 49:1217-1225. [PMID: 36690533 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2023.01.019] [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: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The eighth American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system was flawed regarding the prognosis of stage II hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aims of this study were to reveal the defect and make updates. METHODS Clinical and survival data of HCC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database were used. We re-classified stage II into T2aN0M0 (tumors >2 cm with vascular invasion) and T2bN0M0 (multiple tumors ≤5 cm). The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to estimate differences in overall survival (OS). Three propensity score matching analyses without (PSM1) or with (PSM2 and PSM3) consideration of surgical treatment were performed. Cox regression was used to reveal risk factors. RESULTS HCC patients identified as T1bN0M0, T2aN0M0, T2bN0M0, and T3N0M0 were recruited. OS in T2N0M0 was consistent with the eighth AJCC staging system after PSM1. T2bN0M0 had increased OS compared with T2aN0M0 after PSM2 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.73; P = 0.0141) or PSM3 (HR = 1.18; 95%CI = 1.01-1.37; P = 0.0283). No survival benefit existed between T1bN0M0 and T2bN0M0 after PSM2 (HR = 0.92; 95%CI = 0.80-1.05; P = 0.2171) or PSM3 (HR = 0.92; 95%CI = 0.84-1.01; P = 0.0888). Compared with T2aN0M0, T3N0M0 had shorter OS after PSM2 (HR = 0.64; 95%CI = 0.50-0.82; P = 0.0003) or PSM3 (HR = 0.63; 95%CI = 0.54-0.73; P < 0.0001). Cox regression analysis revealed that surgical treatment was associated with better prognosis (HR = 0.3; 95%CI = 0.3-0.4; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The current staging for T2N0M0 is imprecise because surgical treatment is not adequately evaluated and would be ineffective if the proportion of T2bN0M0 patients with surgical treatment was increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Linquan Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Shuaiwu Luo
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Yaran Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanchang University, No.999, University Avenue, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Chi Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Enliang Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Jiakun Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Bowen Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Zhihao Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Jin Ge
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Jun Lei
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Fan Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Wenjun Liao
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, China.
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Liu M, Zhang Z, Zhang W, Liu SM. Advances in biomarker discovery using circulating cell-free DNA for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. WIREs Mech Dis 2023; 15:e1598. [PMID: 36697374 PMCID: PMC10176863 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The past several decades have witnessed unprecedented progress in basic and clinical cancer research, and our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis of cancers have been greatly improved. More recently, with the availability of high-throughput sequencing and profiling platforms as well as sophisticated analytical tools and high-performance computing capacity, there have been tremendous advances in the development of diagnostic approaches in clinical oncology, especially the discovery of novel biomarkers for cancer early detection. Although tissue biopsy-based pathology has been the "gold standard" for cancer diagnosis, notable limitations such as the risk due to invasiveness and the bias due to intra-tumoral heterogeneity have limited its broader applications in oncology (e.g., screening, regular disease monitoring). Liquid biopsy analysis that exploits the genetic and epigenetic information contained in DNA/RNA materials from body fluids, particularly circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the blood, has been an intriguing alternative approach because of advantageous features such as sampling convenience and minimal invasiveness. Taking advantage of innovative enabling technologies, cfDNA has been demonstrated for its clinical potential in cancer early detection, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common liver cancer that causes serious healthcare burden globally. Hereby, we reviewed the current advances in cfDNA-based approaches for cancer biomarker discovery, with a focus on recent findings of cfDNA-based early detection of HCC. Future clinical investigations and trials are warranted to further validate these approaches for early detection of HCC, which will contribute to more effective prevention, control, and intervention strategies with the ultimate goal of reducing HCC-associated mortality. This article is categorized under: Cancer > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjun Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Center for Gene Diagnosis & Program of Clinical Laboratory, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Wuhan Third Hospital and Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhou Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong Province, China
| | - Song-Mei Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Center for Gene Diagnosis & Program of Clinical Laboratory, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
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11
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Pommergaard HC. Prognostic biomarkers in and selection of surgical patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. APMIS 2023; 131 Suppl 146:1-39. [PMID: 37186326 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
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12
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Pathology of Combined Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Cholangiocarcinoma: An Update. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15020494. [PMID: 36672443 PMCID: PMC9856551 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Combined hepatocellular carcinoma-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) is a rare primary liver cancer that is composed of both hepatocellular and cholangiocellular differentiated cells. It is slightly more common in men and among Asian and Pacific islanders. Overall, risk factors are similar to classic risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The classification has significantly evolved over time. The last WHO classification (2019) mainly emphasized diagnosis on morphological basis with routine stainings, discarded previously recognized classifications with carcinomas with stem cell features, introduced intermediate cell carcinoma as a specific subtype and considered cholangiolocarcinoma as a subtype of cholangiocellular carcinoma. Immunohistochemical markers may be applied for further specification but have limited value for diagnosis. Recent discoveries in molecular pathway regulation may pioneer new therapeutic approaches for this poor prognostic and challenging diagnosis.
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Ma S, Zhou M, Xu Y, Gu X, Zou M, Abudushalamu G, Yao Y, Fan X, Wu G. Clinical application and detection techniques of liquid biopsy in gastric cancer. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:7. [PMID: 36627698 PMCID: PMC9832643 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01715-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common tumors worldwide and the leading cause of tumor-related mortality. Endoscopy and serological tumor marker testing are currently the main methods of GC screening, and treatment relies on surgical resection or chemotherapy. However, traditional examination and treatment methods are more harmful to patients and less sensitive and accurate. A minimally invasive method to respond to GC early screening, prognosis monitoring, treatment efficacy, and drug resistance situations is urgently needed. As a result, liquid biopsy techniques have received much attention in the clinical application of GC. The non-invasive liquid biopsy technique requires fewer samples, is reproducible, and can guide individualized patient treatment by monitoring patients' molecular-level changes in real-time. In this review, we introduced the clinical applications of circulating tumor cells, circulating free DNA, circulating tumor DNA, non-coding RNAs, exosomes, and proteins, which are the primary markers in liquid biopsy technology in GC. We also discuss the current limitations and future trends of liquid biopsy technology as applied to early clinical biopsy technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Ma
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China
| | - Meiling Zhou
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China
| | - Yanhua Xu
- grid.452743.30000 0004 1788 4869Department of Laboratory Medicine, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000 Jiangsu China
| | - Xinliang Gu
- grid.440642.00000 0004 0644 5481Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001 Jiangsu China
| | - Mingyuan Zou
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China
| | - Gulinaizhaer Abudushalamu
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China
| | - Yuming Yao
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China
| | - Xiaobo Fan
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China
| | - Guoqiu Wu
- grid.452290.80000 0004 1760 6316Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China ,grid.263826.b0000 0004 1761 0489Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu China
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Li Y, Wu J, Li E, Xiao Z, Lei J, Zhou F, Yin X, Hu D, Mao Y, Wu L, Wenjun L. TP53 mutation detected in circulating exosomal DNA is associated with prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Biol Ther 2022; 23:439-445. [PMID: 35921289 PMCID: PMC9354767 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2022.2094666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosome DNA (exoDNA) can be used for liquid biopsy. This study was the first to use droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to detect tumor-specific mutations in exoDNA and to evaluate the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. 60 HCC patients were enrolled in the study. We used ddPCR to detect c.747 G > T mutation in TP53 gene. We analyzed the correlation between detectable mutation in exoDNA and clinicopathologic characteristics using Multivariate logistics regression analysis. We performed Cox regression to assess the correlation between mutation frequency (mutant droplets/total droplets, MD/TD) and prognostic. We found that 48 of 60 patients had c.747 G > T mutation in TP53 gene in exoDNA (80.0%). We found that detectable mutation in exoDNA and age were associated with microvascular invasion (MVI) (P < .01). The ROC curve analysis revealed that the best cutoff value of mutation frequency to predict MVI was 67% (sensitivity 48.15%, specificity 93.94%,), the corresponding AUC was 0.761 (95%CI, 0.640–0.866; P < .01). Furthermore, we found that patients suffered high-frequency mutation (>67%) had shorted median recurrence-free survival (RFS) with 63 days (range, 53–202 days), compared with 368 days (range, 51–576 days) for patients with low-frequency mutation (<67%) (HR:4.61; 95% CI, 1.70–12.48; P = 0 .003). We also found that high-frequency mutation was associated with poor prognosis though patients had better pathological characteristics, such as AFP (<400 ng/mL), Liver cirrhosis (Negative), Tumor thrombus (Negative), Tumor numbers (Single) and Post-operation TACE (Executed). We provided evidence that the mutations in exoDNA might be used to predict patients with poor RFS. Abbreviations: TP53: Tumor protein p53; ExoDNA: Exosomal DNA; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; ddPCR: Droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR); MD/TD: The ratio of mutant droplets/total droplets; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; MVI: Microvascular invasion; RFS: Recurrence-free survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Junjun Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Enliang Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhouqing Xiao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jun Lei
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Fan Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiangbao Yin
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Dandan Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yilei Mao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Linquan Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Liao Wenjun
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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Schlosser S, Tümen D, Volz B, Neumeyer K, Egler N, Kunst C, Tews HC, Schmid S, Kandulski A, Müller M, Gülow K. HCC biomarkers - state of the old and outlook to future promising biomarkers and their potential in everyday clinical practice. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1016952. [PMID: 36518320 PMCID: PMC9742592 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1016952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and deadly tumors worldwide. Management of HCC depends on reliable biomarkers for screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of the disease, as well as predicting response towards therapy and safety. To date, imaging has been the established standard technique in the diagnosis and follow-up of HCC. However, imaging techniques have their limitations, especially in the early detection of HCC. Therefore, there is an urgent need for reliable, non/minimal invasive biomarkers. To date, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the only serum biomarker used in clinical practice for the management of HCC. However, AFP is of relatively rather low quality in terms of specificity and sensitivity. Liquid biopsies as a source for biomarkers have become the focus of clinical research. Our review highlights alternative biomarkers derived from liquid biopsies, including circulating tumor cells, proteins, circulating nucleic acids, and exosomes, and their potential for clinical application. Using defined combinations of different biomarkers will open new perspectives for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Karsten Gülow
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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16
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Higuera M, Vargas-Accarino E, Torrens M, Gregori J, Salcedo MT, Martínez-Campreciós J, Torres G, Bermúdez-Ramos M, Bilbao I, Guerrero-Murillo M, Serres-Créixams X, Merino X, Rodríguez-Frías F, Quer J, Mínguez B. Ultra Deep Sequencing of Circulating Cell-Free DNA as a Potential Tool for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Management. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14163875. [PMID: 36010868 PMCID: PMC9406074 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14163875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this unicentric prospective study, we analyzed the most prevalent mutations in HCC (TERT promoter, TP53, CTNNB1, AXIN1 and ARID1A) in plasma cfDNA by next-generation sequencing, aiming to elucidate their value as prognostic noninvasive biomarkers. Total cfDNA (cut-off value 2 ng/µL), number of mutated genes and number of detectable mutations on cfDNA were significantly related to mortality. Number of mutated genes and number of detected mutations in cfDNA and the ratio between number of mutations and total amount of cfDNA were also significantly associated with recurrence. Detection of more than four mutations in cfDNA correlated with a higher risk of death. Dynamic changes in cfDNA mutations were detected prior to radiological detection of HCC recurrence. We believe that these results support the proof of principle and launching of validation studies to confirm that total cfDNA and detection of prevalent HCC mutations could have prognostic implications in early-stage HCC patients. Abstract Background: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentrations have been described to be inversely correlated with prognosis in cancer. Mutations in HCC-associated driver genes in cfDNA have been reported, but their relation with patient’s outcome has not been described. Our aim was to elucidate whether mutations found in cfDNA could be representative from those present in HCC tissue, providing the rationale to use the cfDNA to monitor HCC. Methods: Tumoral tissue, paired nontumor adjacent tissue and blood samples were collected from 30 HCC patients undergoing curative therapies. Deep sequencing targeting HCC driver genes was performed. Results: Patients with more than 2 ng/µL of cfDNA at diagnosis had higher mortality (mean OS 24.6 vs. 31.87 months, p = 0.01) (AUC = 0.782). Subjects who died during follow-up, had a significantly higher number of mutated genes (p = 0.015) and number of mutations (p = 0.015) on cfDNA. Number of mutated genes (p = 0.001), detected mutations (p = 0.001) in cfDNA and ratio (number of mutations/cfDNA) (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with recurrence. However, patients with a ratio (number of mutations/cfDNA) above 6 (long-rank p = 0.0003) presented a higher risk of recurrence than those with a ratio under 6. Detection of more than four mutations in cfDNA correlated with higher risk of death (long-rank p = 0.042). Conclusions: In summary, cfDNA and detection of prevalent HCC mutations could have prognostic implications in early-stage HCC patients
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Higuera
- Liver Cancer Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Vargas-Accarino
- Liver Cancer Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Campus de la UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - María Torrens
- Liver Cancer Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Gregori
- Viral Hepatitis Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Teresa Salcedo
- Department of Medicine, Campus de la UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Biomedical Research Network Centre in Oncology (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Joan Martínez-Campreciós
- Liver Cancer Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Campus de la UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Gloria Torres
- Liver Cancer Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Bermúdez-Ramos
- Liver Cancer Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Campus de la UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Itxarone Bilbao
- Department of Medicine, Campus de la UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Hepatobiliary Surgery and Transplant Department, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercedes Guerrero-Murillo
- Viral Hepatitis Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Serres-Créixams
- Radiology Department, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Merino
- Radiology Department, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco Rodríguez-Frías
- Biochemistry and Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Campus de la UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Josep Quer
- Viral Hepatitis Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Campus de la UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Beatriz Mínguez
- Liver Cancer Research Group, Liver Diseases, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Campus de la UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Liver Unit, Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-93-274-61-40 (ext. 6561)
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Temraz S, Nasr R, Mukherji D, Kreidieh F, Shamseddine A. Liquid Biopsy Derived Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Tumor DNA as Novel Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2022; 22:507-518. [PMID: 35758097 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2022.2094706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is made at a relatively advanced stage resulting in poor prognosis. Alpha-fetoprotein and liver ultrasound have limited accuracy as biomarkers in HCC. Liver biopsy provides information on tumor biology; however, it is invasive and holds high threat of tumor seeding. Thus, more accurate and less invasive approaches are needed. AREAS COVERED Highly sensitive liquid biopsy assays have made possible the detection and analysis of cells or organelles such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and tumor-derived exosomes. Here, we focus on CTCs and ctDNA components of liquid biopsy and their clinical application as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers in HCC. Unlike tissue biopsy, liquid biopsy involves attaining a sample at several time frames in an easy and a non-invasive manner. They have been efficacious in detecting and classifying cancer, in predicting treatment response, in monitoring disease relapse and in identifying mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies. EXPERT OPINION Although interesting and highly promising, liquid biopsy techniques still have many obstacles to overcome before their wide spread clinical application sees the light. It is expected that these techniques will be incorporated into traditional methodologies for better diagnostic, predictive and prognostic results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Temraz
- Department of internal medicine, Hematology/Oncology division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rihab Nasr
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Deborah Mukherji
- Department of internal medicine, Hematology/Oncology division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Firas Kreidieh
- Department of internal medicine, Hematology/Oncology division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Ali Shamseddine
- Department of internal medicine, Hematology/Oncology division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, Beirut, Lebanon
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18
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Kirchweger P, Wundsam HV, Rumpold H. Circulating tumor DNA for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. World J Clin Oncol 2022; 13:473-484. [PMID: 35949436 PMCID: PMC9244970 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v13.i6.473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Minimally invasive detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in peripheral blood or other body fluids of patients with gastrointestinal malignancies via liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising biomarker. This is urgently needed, as conventional imaging and plasma protein-derived biomarkers lack sensitivity and specificity in prognosis, early detection of relapse or treatment monitoring. This review summarizes the potential role of liquid biopsy in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring of gastrointestinal malignancies, including upper gastrointestinal, liver, bile duct, pancreatic and colorectal cancer. CtDNA can now be part of the clinical routine as a promising, highly sensitive and specific biomarker with a broad range of applicability. Liquid-biopsy based postoperative relapse prediction could lead to improved survival by intensification of adjuvant treatment in patients identified to be at risk of early recurrence. Moreover, ctDNA allows monitoring of antineoplastic treatment success, with identification of potentially developed resistance or therapeutic targets during the course of treatment. It may also assist in early change of chemotherapy in metastatic gastrointestinal malignancies prior to imaging findings of relapse. Nevertheless, clinical utility is dependent on the tumor’s entity and burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Kirchweger
- Department of Surgery, Ordensklinikum Linz, Linz 4010, Austria
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Ordensklinikum Linz, Linz 4010, Austria
- Medical Faculty, JKU University Linz, Linz 4040, Austria
| | | | - Holger Rumpold
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Ordensklinikum Linz, Linz 4010, Austria
- Medical Faculty, JKU University Linz, Linz 4040, Austria
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19
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Alese OB, Cook N, Ortega-Franco A, Ulanja MB, Tan L, Tie J. Circulating Tumor DNA: An Emerging Tool in Gastrointestinal Cancers. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2022; 42:1-20. [PMID: 35471832 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_349143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is tumor-derived fragmented DNA in the bloodstream that has come from primary or metastatic cancer sites. Neoplasm-specific genetic and epigenetic abnormalities are increasingly being identified through liquid biopsy: a novel, minimally invasive technique used to isolate and analyze ctDNA in the peripheral circulation. Liquid biopsy and other emerging ctDNA technologies represent a paradigm shift in cancer diagnostics because they allow for the detection of minimal residual disease in patients with early-stage disease, improve risk stratification, capture tumor heterogeneity and genomic evolution, and enhance ctDNA-guided adjuvant and palliative cancer therapy. Moreover, ctDNA can be used to monitor the tumor response to neoadjuvant and postoperative therapy in patients with metastatic disease. Using clearance of ctDNA as an endpoint for escalation/de-escalation of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients considered to have high-risk disease has become an important area of research. The possibility of using ctDNA as a surrogate for treatment response-including for overall survival, progression-free survival, and disease-free survival-is an attractive concept; this surrogate will arguably reduce study duration and expedite the development of new therapies. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on the applications of ctDNA for the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal tumors. Gastrointestinal cancers-including tumors of the esophagus, stomach, colon, liver, and pancreas-account for one-quarter of global cancer diagnoses and contribute to more than one-third of cancer-related deaths. Given the prevalence of gastrointestinal malignancies, ctDNA technology represents a powerful tool to reduce the global burden of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olatunji B Alese
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Natalie Cook
- Experimental Cancer Medicine Team, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Ortega-Franco
- Experimental Cancer Medicine Team, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Mark B Ulanja
- Christus Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital, Lake Charles, LA
| | - Lavinia Tan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jeanne Tie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Division of Personalized Oncology, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
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20
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Yang F, Deng K, Zheng H, Liu Z, Zheng Y. Progress of targeted and immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma and the application of next-generation sequencing. Ann Hepatol 2022; 27:100677. [PMID: 35093601 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2022.100677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), leading cancer worldwide, has a high degree of genetic heterogeneity; next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has contributed significantly to the discovery of driving genes as well as high-frequency mutations in HCC. The detection of gene alterations may allow us to predict prognosis and adverse drug reactions for individuals, paving the way for personalized medicine in HCC patients. In this review, we summarized the common systemic therapy regimens for HCC and the predictive efficacy of genetic biomarkers on the prognosis of patients under these treatments. Finally, we put forward a future perspective on the potential of NGS technology for the guidance of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Yang
- Department of liver surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No.1 Shuaifuyuan Wangfujing Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Kaige Deng
- Department of liver surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No.1 Shuaifuyuan Wangfujing Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Haoran Zheng
- Department of liver surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No.1 Shuaifuyuan Wangfujing Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Zhenting Liu
- Department of liver surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No.1 Shuaifuyuan Wangfujing Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yongchang Zheng
- Department of liver surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No.1 Shuaifuyuan Wangfujing Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China.
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21
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Yang JC, Hu JJ, Li YX, Luo W, Liu JZ, Ye DW. Clinical Applications of Liquid Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:781820. [PMID: 35211399 PMCID: PMC8860830 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.781820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with high mortality and poor prognosis in the world. The low rate of early diagnosis, as well as the high risk of postoperative metastasis and recurrence, led to the poor clinical prognosis of HCC patients. Currently, it mainly depends on serum markers, imaging examination, and tissue biopsy to diagnose and determine the recurrence and metastasis of HCC after treatments. Nevertheless, the accuracy and sensitivity of serum markers and imaging for early HCC diagnosis are suboptimal. Tissue biopsy, containing limited tissue samples, is insufficient to reveal comprehensive tumor biology information and is inappropriate to monitor dynamic tumor progression due to its invasiveness. Thus, low invasive diagnostic methods and novel biomarkers with high sensitivity and reliability must be found to improve HCC detection and prediction. As a non-invasive, dynamic, and repeatable detection method, “liquid biopsy”, has attracted much attention to early diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response, which promotes the progress of precision medicine. This review summarizes the clinical applications of liquid biopsy in HCC, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and exosome in early diagnosis, prognostic evaluation, disease monitoring, and guiding personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Cui Yang
- Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun-Jie Hu
- Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi-Xin Li
- Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Luo
- Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jin-Zhou Liu
- Department of Pain Management, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Da-Wei Ye
- Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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22
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Lyu X, Tsui YM, Ho DWH, Ng IOL. Liquid Biopsy Using Cell-Free or Circulating Tumor DNA in the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 13:1611-1624. [PMID: 35183803 PMCID: PMC9048068 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2022.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]) is a fatal cancer worldwide and often is detected at an advanced stage when treatment options are very limited. This drives the development of techniques and platforms for early detection of HCC. In recent years, liquid biopsy has provided a means of noninvasive detection of cancers. By detecting plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) released from dying cancer cells, the presence of HCC can be detected in a noninvasive manner. In this review, we discuss the molecular characteristics of ctDNA and its various molecular landscapes in HCC. These include the mutational landscape, single-nucleotide variations, copy number variations, methylation landscape, end motif/coordinate preference, hepatitis B virus integration, and mitochondrial DNA mutations. The consistency between the plasma ctDNA and the tumor tissue genomic DNA mutational profile is pivotal for the clinical utility of ctDNA in the clinical management of HCC. With strategic use of genetic information provided from plasma ctDNA profiling and procedure standardization to facilitate implementation in clinical practice, better clinical management would become permissible through more efficient detection and diagnosis of HCC, better prognostication, precision-matched treatment guidance, and more reliable disease monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daniel Wai-Hung Ho
- Correspondence Address correspondence to: Daniel Wai-Hung Ho, PhD, Department of Pathology, L704, Laboratory Block, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. fax: (852) 2819-5375.
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- Irene Oi-Lin Ng, MD, PhD, Department of Pathology, Room 7-13, Block T, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. fax: 852-28872-5197.
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23
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Reddy T, Esmail A, Chang JC, Ghobrial RM, Abdelrahim M. Utility of Cell-Free DNA Detection in Transplant Oncology. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030743. [PMID: 35159010 PMCID: PMC8833373 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Transplant oncology is an emerging field in cancer treatment that applies transplant medicine, surgery, and oncology to improve cancer patient survival and quality of life. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the history and emergence of cfDNA technology, its applications to specifically monitor tumor burden at pre-and post-liver transplant stages, and evaluate transplant rejection. The use of ctDNA to evaluate transplant rejection has been extensively studied in non-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diseases. Emerging studies have also investigated the use of ctDNA detection in evaluating HCC tumor burden pre-and post-surgery as well as transplant rejection. However, extensive studies still need to be conducted to evaluate the role of ctDNA detection in the medical management of transplant oncology patients. Abstract Transplant oncology is an emerging field in cancer treatment that applies transplant medicine, surgery, and oncology to improve cancer patient survival and quality of life. A critical concept that must be addressed to ensure the successful application of transplant oncology to patient care is efficient monitoring of tumor burden pre-and post-transplant and transplant rejection. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) detection has emerged as a vital tool in revolutionizing the management of cancer patients who undergo organ transplantation. The advances in cfDNA technology have provided options to perform a pre-transplant evaluation of minimal residual disease (MRD) and post-transplant evaluation of cancer recurrence and transplant rejection. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the history and emergence of cfDNA technology, its applications to specifically monitor tumor burden at pre-and post-transplant stages, and evaluate transplant rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejaswini Reddy
- Section of GI Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.R.); (A.E.)
- Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Abdullah Esmail
- Section of GI Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.R.); (A.E.)
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Jenny C. Chang
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Section of Breast, Department of Medical Oncology, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rafik Mark Ghobrial
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA;
- Sherrie and Alan Conover Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation, JC Walter Jr Center for Transplantation, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Maen Abdelrahim
- Section of GI Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.R.); (A.E.)
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA;
- Cockrell Center of Advanced Therapeutics Phase I program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence:
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24
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Personalized circulating tumor DNA in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a pilot study. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 49:1609-1616. [PMID: 34811635 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06962-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutational analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can potentially be used for early detection of recurrence after resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Mutations from tumor may be identified in plasma as an early sign of recurrence. We conducted a pilot study investigating if somatic mutations could be detected in plasma in patients undergoing liver resection for HCC and in patients with advanced non-resectable HCC. METHODS AND RESULTS We prospectively included patients undergoing curative liver resection for HCC. Tumor tissue was investigated with whole exome sequencing and preoperative blood samples were evaluated for ctDNA using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) with TruSight Oncology 500 including 523 cancer-associated genes. Subsequently, the method was evaluated in patients with advanced HCC. We included eight patients curatively resected for HCC, where tumor tissue mutations were identified in seven patients. However, only in one patient tumor specific mutations were found in the preoperative blood sample. In all three patients with advanced HCC, tumor mutations were detected in the blood. CONCLUSIONS In patients with resectable HCC, ctDNA could not be reliably detected using the applied targeted NGS method. In contrast, ctDNA was detected in all patients with advanced HCC. Small tumors, tumor heterogeneity and limited sequencing coverage may explain the lack of detectable ctDNA.
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25
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Zhang Y, Liu Z, Ji K, Li X, Wang C, Ren Z, Liu Y, Chen X, Han X, Meng L, Li L, Li Z. Clinical Application Value of Circulating Cell-free DNA in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:736330. [PMID: 34660697 PMCID: PMC8511426 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.736330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Due to late diagnosis, early intrahepatic metastasis and nonresponse to systemic treatments, surgical resection and/or biopsy specimens remain the gold standard for disease staging, grading and clinical decision-making. Since only a small amount of tissue was obtained in a needle biopsy, the conventional tissue biopsy is unable to represent tumor heterogeneity in HCC. For this reason, it is imperative to find a new non-invasive and easily available diagnostic tool to detect HCC at an early stage and to monitor HCC recurrence. The past decade has witnessed considerable evolution in the development of liquid biopsy technologies with the emergence of next-generation sequencing. As a liquid biopsy approach, molecular analysis of cell-free DNA (cfDNA), characterized by noninvasiveness and real-time analysis, may accurately represent the tumor burden and comprehensively reflect genetic profile of HCC. Therefore, cfDNA may be used clinically as a predictive biomarker in early diagnosis, outcome assessment, and even molecular typing. In this review, we provide an update on the recent advances made in clinical applications of cfDNA in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyuan Zhang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Institute of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zaoqu Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Institute of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Kun Ji
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Institute of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Institute of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Caihong Wang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhigang Ren
- Department of Infections Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xinju Chen
- First Ward of Spleen, Stomach, Liver and Gall, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of TCM, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xinwei Han
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Institute of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lingfang Meng
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhengzhou Sixth People's Hospital, Henan Infectious Disease Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lifeng Li
- Internet Medical and System Applications of National Engineering Laboratory, Zhengzhou, China.,Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Institute of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Interventional Treatment and Clinical Research Center of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
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26
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Transplant Oncology: An Evolving Field in Cancer Care. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13194911. [PMID: 34638395 PMCID: PMC8508383 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transplant oncology is an emerging concept of cancer treatment with a promising prospective outcome. The application of oncology, transplant medicine, and surgery to improve patients' survival and quality of life is the core of transplant oncology. Hepatobiliary malignancies have been treated by liver transplantation (LT) with significant improved outcome. In addition, as the liver is the most common site of metastasis for colorectal cancer (CRC), patients with CRC who have stable unresectable liver metastases are good candidates for LT, and initial studies have shown improved survival compared to palliative systemic therapy. The indications of LT for hepatobiliary malignancies have been slowly expanded over the years in a stepwise manner; however, they have only been shown to improve patient survival in the setting of limited systemic therapy options. This review illustrates the concept and history of transplant oncology as an evolving field for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic biliary cancer, and liver-only metastasis of non-hepatobiliary carcinoma. The utility of immunotherapy in the transplant setting is discussed as well as the feasibility of using circulating tumor DNA for surveillance post-transplantation.
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27
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Moati E, Taly V, Garinet S, Didelot A, Taieb J, Laurent-Puig P, Zaanan A. Role of Circulating Tumor DNA in Gastrointestinal Cancers: Current Knowledge and Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4743. [PMID: 34638228 PMCID: PMC8507552 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are major health burdens worldwide and biomarkers are needed to improve the management of these diseases along their evolution. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising non-invasive blood and other bodily-fluid-based biomarker in cancer management that can help clinicians in various cases for the detection, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and personalization of treatment in digestive oncology. In addition to the well-studied prognostic role of ctDNA, the main real-world applications appear to be the assessment of minimal residual disease to further guide adjuvant therapy and predict relapse, but also the monitoring of clonal evolution to tailor treatments in metastatic setting. Other challenges such as predicting response to treatment including immune checkpoint inhibitors could also be among the potential applications of ctDNA. Although the level of advancement of ctDNA development in the different tumor localizations is still inhomogeneous, it might be now reliable enough to be soon used in clinical routine for colorectal cancers and shows promising results in other GI cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Moati
- Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Oncology, Institut du Cancer Paris Carpem, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, 75015 Paris, France; (E.M.); (J.T.)
| | - Valerie Taly
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM UMRS1138, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, CNRS SNC 5096, 75006 Paris, France; (V.T.); (S.G.); (A.D.); (P.L.-P.)
| | - Simon Garinet
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM UMRS1138, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, CNRS SNC 5096, 75006 Paris, France; (V.T.); (S.G.); (A.D.); (P.L.-P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Institut du Cancer Paris Carpem, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Audrey Didelot
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM UMRS1138, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, CNRS SNC 5096, 75006 Paris, France; (V.T.); (S.G.); (A.D.); (P.L.-P.)
| | - Julien Taieb
- Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Oncology, Institut du Cancer Paris Carpem, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, 75015 Paris, France; (E.M.); (J.T.)
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM UMRS1138, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, CNRS SNC 5096, 75006 Paris, France; (V.T.); (S.G.); (A.D.); (P.L.-P.)
| | - Pierre Laurent-Puig
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM UMRS1138, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, CNRS SNC 5096, 75006 Paris, France; (V.T.); (S.G.); (A.D.); (P.L.-P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Institut du Cancer Paris Carpem, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Aziz Zaanan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Oncology, Institut du Cancer Paris Carpem, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, 75015 Paris, France; (E.M.); (J.T.)
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM UMRS1138, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, USPC, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, CNRS SNC 5096, 75006 Paris, France; (V.T.); (S.G.); (A.D.); (P.L.-P.)
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28
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Wang Y, Zhou K, Wang X, Liu Y, Guo D, Bian Z, Su L, Liu K, Gu X, Guo X, Wang L, Zhang H, Tao K, Xing J. Multiple-level copy number variations in cell-free DNA for prognostic prediction of HCC with radical treatments. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:4772-4784. [PMID: 34490703 PMCID: PMC8586684 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Copy number variations (CNVs) in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) are emerging as noninvasive biomarkers for various cancers. However, multiple-level analysis of cfDNA CNVs for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with radical treatments remains uninvestigated. Here, CNVs at genome-wide, chromosomal-arm, and bin levels were analyzed in cfDNA from 117 HCC patients receiving radical treatments. Then, the relationship between cfDNA CNVs and clinical outcomes was explored. Our results showed that a concordant profile of CNVs was observed between cfDNA and tumor tissue DNA. Three genome-wide CNV indicators including tumor fraction (TFx), prediction score (P-score), and stability score (S-score) were calculated and demonstrated to exhibit significant correlation with poorer overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Furthermore, the high-frequency cfDNA CNVs at chromosomal-arm level including the loss of 4q, 17p, and 19p and the gain of 8q and 1q clearly predicted HCC prognosis. Finally, a bin-level risk score was constructed to improve the ability of CNVs in predicting prognosis. Altogether, our study indicates that the multiple-level cfDNA CNVs are significantly associated with OS and RFS in HCC patients with radical treatments, suggesting that cfDNA CNVs detected by low-coverage whole-genome sequencing (WGS) may be used as potential prognostic biomarkers of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiangxu Wang
- Department of Oncology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dongnan Guo
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhenyuan Bian
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Liping Su
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kun Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiwen Gu
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xu Guo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kaishan Tao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jinliang Xing
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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29
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Maravelia P, Silva DN, Rovesti G, Chrobok M, Stål P, Lu YC, Pasetto A. Liquid Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Opportunities and Challenges for Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4334. [PMID: 34503144 PMCID: PMC8431414 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancer types worldwide. HCC is often diagnosed at a late stage when the therapeutic options are very limited. However, even at the earlier stages, the best treatment is liver transplantation, surgical resection or ablation. Surgical resection and ablation may carry a high risk of tumor recurrence. The recent introduction of immunotherapies resulted in clinical responses for a subgroup of patients, but there were still no effective predictive markers for response to immunotherapy or for recurrence after surgical therapy. The identification of biomarkers that could correlate and predict response or recurrence would require close monitoring of the patients throughout and after the completion of treatment. However, this would not be performed efficiently by repeated and invasive tissue biopsies. A better approach would be to use liquid biopsies including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating RNA (e.g., microRNAs), circulating tumor cells (CTC) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) (e.g., exosomes) for disease monitoring in a non-invasive manner. In this review, we discuss the currently available technology that can enable the use of liquid biopsy as a diagnostic and prognostic tool. Moreover, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of the clinical application of liquid biopsy for immunotherapy of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Maravelia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, 14152 Stockholm, Sweden; (D.N.S.); (G.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Daniela Nascimento Silva
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, 14152 Stockholm, Sweden; (D.N.S.); (G.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Giulia Rovesti
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, 14152 Stockholm, Sweden; (D.N.S.); (G.R.); (M.C.)
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy
| | - Michael Chrobok
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, 14152 Stockholm, Sweden; (D.N.S.); (G.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Per Stål
- Unit of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine/Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Upper GI Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Yong-Chen Lu
- Department of Pathology, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA;
| | - Anna Pasetto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Karolinska Institutet, 14152 Stockholm, Sweden; (D.N.S.); (G.R.); (M.C.)
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30
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Lin SY, Chang TT, Steffen JD, Chen S, Jain S, Song W, Lin YJ, Su YH. Detection of CTNNB1 Hotspot Mutations in Cell-Free DNA from the Urine of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:1475. [PMID: 34441409 PMCID: PMC8393790 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11081475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The beta-catenin gene, CTNNB1, is among the most frequently mutated in HCC tissues. However, mutational analysis of HCC tumors is hampered by the difficulty of obtaining tissue samples using traditional biopsy. Here, we explored the feasibility of detecting tumor-derived CTNNB1 mutations in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) extracted from the urine of HCC patients. Using a short amplicon qPCR assay targeting HCC mutational hotspot CTNNB1 codons 32-37 (exon 3), we detected CTNNB1 mutations in 25% (18/73) of HCC tissues and 24% (15/62) of pre-operative HCC urine samples in two independent cohorts. Among the CTNNB1-mutation-positive patients with available matched pre- and post-operative urine (n = 13), nine showed apparent elimination (n = 7) or severalfold reduction (n = 2) of the mutation in urine following tumor resection. Four of the seven patients with no detectable mutations in postoperative urine remained recurrence-free within five years after surgery. In contrast, all six patients with mutation-positive in post-operative urine recurred, including the two with reduced mutation levels. This is the first report of association between the presence of CTNNB1 mutations in pre- and post-operative urine cfDNA and HCC recurrence with implications for minimum residual disease detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selena Y. Lin
- JBS Science, Inc., Doylestown, PA 18902, USA; (S.Y.L.); (J.D.S.); (S.C.); (S.J.); (W.S.)
| | - Ting-Tsung Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;
| | - Jamin D. Steffen
- JBS Science, Inc., Doylestown, PA 18902, USA; (S.Y.L.); (J.D.S.); (S.C.); (S.J.); (W.S.)
| | - Sitong Chen
- JBS Science, Inc., Doylestown, PA 18902, USA; (S.Y.L.); (J.D.S.); (S.C.); (S.J.); (W.S.)
| | - Surbhi Jain
- JBS Science, Inc., Doylestown, PA 18902, USA; (S.Y.L.); (J.D.S.); (S.C.); (S.J.); (W.S.)
| | - Wei Song
- JBS Science, Inc., Doylestown, PA 18902, USA; (S.Y.L.); (J.D.S.); (S.C.); (S.J.); (W.S.)
| | - Yih-Jyh Lin
- Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Medical College and Hospital, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Hsiu Su
- The Baruch S. Blumberg Research Institute, Doylestown, PA 18902, USA
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Tran NH, Kisiel J, Roberts LR. Using cell-free DNA for HCC surveillance and prognosis. JHEP Rep 2021; 3:100304. [PMID: 34136776 PMCID: PMC8182265 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of primary liver cancer. Its incidence is rising faster than any other cancer in the United States and it remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. While advances in massive parallel sequencing and integration of 'omics information have transformed the field of oncology, tissue access is often limited in HCC and a single biopsy is poorly representative of the known genetic heterogeneity of tumours. Liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising strategy for analysing circulating tumour components including circulating tumour DNA. Cell-free DNA and tumour DNA are derived from necrotic, apoptotic and living eukaryotic cells. The profiling of genetic and epigenetic alterations in circulating cell-free DNA has potential clinical applications including early disease detection, prediction of treatment response and prognostication in real time. Novel biomarker candidates for disease detection and monitoring are under study. Of these, methylation analyses of circulating tumour DNA have shown promising performance for early HCC detection in at-risk patients. Assessments of assay performance in longitudinal validation cohorts are ongoing. Implementation of liquid biopsy for HCC will likely improve upon the current surveillance strategy. This review summarises the most recent developments on the role and utility of circulating cell-free DNA in the detection and management of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen H Tran
- Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - John Kisiel
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Lewis R Roberts
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
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Underhill HR. Leveraging the Fragment Length of Circulating Tumour DNA to Improve Molecular Profiling of Solid Tumour Malignancies with Next-Generation Sequencing: A Pathway to Advanced Non-invasive Diagnostics in Precision Oncology? Mol Diagn Ther 2021; 25:389-408. [PMID: 34018157 PMCID: PMC8249304 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-021-00534-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) has emerged as a promising diagnostic tool in oncology. Identification of tumour-derived ccfDNA (i.e. circulating tumour DNA [ctDNA]) provides non-invasive access to a malignancy’s molecular landscape to diagnose, inform therapeutic strategies, and monitor treatment efficacy. Current applications of ccfDNA to detect somatic mutations, however, have been largely constrained to tumour-informed searches and identification of common mutations because of the interaction between ctDNA signal and next-generation sequencing (NGS) noise. Specifically, the low allele frequency of ctDNA associated with non-metastatic and early-stage lesions may be indistinguishable from artifacts that accrue during sample preparation and NGS. Thus, using ccfDNA to achieve non-invasive and personalized molecular profiling to optimize individual patient care is a highly sought goal that remains limited in clinical practice. There is growing evidence, however, that further advances in the field of ccfDNA diagnostics may be achieved by improving detection of somatic mutations through leveraging the inherently shorter fragment lengths of ctDNA compared to non-neoplastic ccfDNA. Here, the origins and rationale for seeking to improve the mutation-based detection of ctDNA by using ccfDNA size profiling are reviewed. Subsequently, in vitro and in silico methods to enrich for a target ccfDNA fragment length are detailed to identify current practices and provide perspective into the potential of using ccfDNA size profiling to impact clinical applications in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter R Underhill
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA. .,Department of Radiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. .,Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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33
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Unique Features of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Pathogenesis and Clinical Significance. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102454. [PMID: 34070067 PMCID: PMC8158142 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Understanding the unique features for HBV-induced HCC can shed new light on the unmet needs in its early diagnosis and effective therapy. During decades of chronic hepatitis B, hepatocytes undergoing repeated damage and regeneration accumulate genetic changes predisposing to HCC development. In addition to traditional mutations in viral and cellular oncogenes, HBV integration into the cell chromosomes is an alternative genetic change contributing to hepatocarcinogenesis. A striking male dominance in HBV-related HCC further highlights an interaction between androgen sex hormone and viral factors, which contributes to the gender difference via stimulating viral replication and activation of oncogenes preferentially in male patients. Meanwhile, a novel circulating tumor biomarker generated by HBV integration shows great potential for the early diagnosis of HCC. These unique HBV-induced hepatocarcinogenic mechanisms provide new insights for the future development of superior diagnosis and treatment strategies. Abstract Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the important risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide, accounting for around 50% of cases. Chronic hepatitis B infection generates an inflammatory microenvironment, in which hepatocytes undergoing repeated cycles of damage and regeneration accumulate genetic mutations predisposing them to cancer. A striking male dominance in HBV-related HCC highlights the influence of sex hormones which interact with viral factors to influence carcinogenesis. HBV is also considered an oncogenic virus since its X and surface mutant proteins showed tumorigenic activity in mouse models. The other unique mechanism is the insertional mutagenesis by integration of HBV genome into hepatocyte chromosomes to activate oncogenes. HCC survival largely depends on tumor stages at diagnosis and effective treatment. However, early diagnosis by the conventional protein biomarkers achieves limited success. A new biomarker, the circulating virus–host chimera DNA from HBV integration sites in HCC, provides a liquid biopsy approach for monitoring the tumor load in the majority of HBV–HCC patients. To maximize the efficacy of new immunotherapies or molecular target therapies, it requires better classification of HCC based on the tumor microenvironment and specific carcinogenic pathways. An in-depth study may benefit both the diagnosis and treatment of HBV-related HCC.
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Moldogazieva NT, Zavadskiy SP, Terentiev AA. Genomic Landscape of Liquid Biopsy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Personalized Medicine. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2021; 18:369-383. [PMID: 33994362 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most frequently diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Advanced-stage HCC patients have poor survival rates and this requires the discovery of novel clear biomarkers for HCC early diagnosis and prognosis, identifying risk factors, distinguishing HCC from non-HCC liver diseases, and assessment of treatment response. Liquid biopsy has emerged as a novel minimally invasive approach to enable monitoring tumor progression, metastasis, and recurrence. Since the liquid biopsy analysis has relatively high specificity and low sensitivity in cancer early detection, there is a risk of bias. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies provide accurate and comprehensive gene expression and mutational profiling of liquid biopsies including cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and genomic components of extracellular vesicles (EVs) including micro-RNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs). Since HCC is a highly heterogeneous cancer, HCC patients can display various genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic patterns and exhibit varying sensitivity to treatment options. Identification of individual variabilities in genomic signatures in liquid biopsy has the potential to greatly enhance precision oncology capabilities. In this review, we highlight and critically discuss the latest progress in characterizing the genomic landscape of liquid biopsy, which can advance HCC personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurbubu T Moldogazieva
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia;
| | - Sergey P Zavadskiy
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander A Terentiev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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Pelizzaro F, Cardin R, Penzo B, Pinto E, Vitale A, Cillo U, Russo FP, Farinati F. Liquid Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Where Are We Now? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2274. [PMID: 34068786 PMCID: PMC8126224 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related death worldwide. Diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers are urgently needed in order to improve patient survival. Indeed, the most widely used biomarkers, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), have limited accuracy as both diagnostic and prognostic tests. Liver biopsy provides an insight on the biology of the tumor, but it is an invasive procedure, not routinely used, and not representative of the whole neoplasia due to the demonstrated intra-tumoral heterogeneity. In recent years, liquid biopsy, defined as the molecular analysis of cancer by-products, released by the tumor in the bloodstream, emerged as an appealing source of new biomarkers. Several studies focused on evaluating extracellular vesicles, circulating tumor cells, cell-free DNA and non-coding RNA as novel reliable biomarkers. In this review, we aimed to provide a comprehensive overview on the most relevant available evidence on novel circulating biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and therapeutic monitoring. Liquid biopsy seems to be a very promising instrument and, in the near future, some of these new non-invasive tools will probably change the clinical management of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Pelizzaro
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (F.P.); (R.C.); (B.P.); (E.P.); (F.P.R.)
| | - Romilda Cardin
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (F.P.); (R.C.); (B.P.); (E.P.); (F.P.R.)
| | - Barbara Penzo
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (F.P.); (R.C.); (B.P.); (E.P.); (F.P.R.)
| | - Elisa Pinto
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (F.P.); (R.C.); (B.P.); (E.P.); (F.P.R.)
| | - Alessandro Vitale
- Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (A.V.); (U.C.)
| | - Umberto Cillo
- Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (A.V.); (U.C.)
| | - Francesco Paolo Russo
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (F.P.); (R.C.); (B.P.); (E.P.); (F.P.R.)
| | - Fabio Farinati
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (F.P.); (R.C.); (B.P.); (E.P.); (F.P.R.)
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36
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Reig M, Forner A, Ávila MA, Ayuso C, Mínguez B, Varela M, Bilbao I, Bilbao JI, Burrel M, Bustamante J, Ferrer J, Gómez MÁ, Llovet JM, De la Mata M, Matilla A, Pardo F, Pastrana MA, Rodríguez-Perálvarez M, Tabernero J, Urbano J, Vera R, Sangro B, Bruix J. Diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Update of the consensus document of the AEEH, AEC, SEOM, SERAM, SERVEI, and SETH. Med Clin (Barc) 2021; 156:463.e1-463.e30. [PMID: 33461840 DOI: 10.1016/j.medcli.2020.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver neoplasm and one of the most common causes of death in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. In parallel, with recognition of the clinical relevance of this cancer, major new developments have recently appeared in its diagnosis, prognostic assessment and in particular, in its treatment. Therefore, the Spanish Association for the Study of the Liver (AEEH) has driven the need to update the clinical practice guidelines, once again inviting all the societies involved in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease to participate in the drafting and approval of the document: Spanish Society for Liver Transplantation (SETH), Spanish Society of Diagnostic Radiology (SERAM), Spanish Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (SERVEI), Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC) and Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). The clinical practice guidelines published in 2016 and accepted as National Health System Clinical Practice Guidelines were taken as the reference documents, incorporating the most important recent advances. The scientific evidence and the strength of the recommendation is based on the GRADE system.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Reig
- Unidad de Oncología Hepática (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer), Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España
| | - Alejandro Forner
- Unidad de Oncología Hepática (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer), Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España
| | - Matías A Ávila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Programa de Hepatología, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, Universidad de Navarra-IDISNA, Pamplona, España
| | - Carmen Ayuso
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - Beatriz Mínguez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Universitario Vall d́Hebron, Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Hepáticas (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Barcelona, España
| | - María Varela
- Sección de Hepatología, Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo, España
| | - Itxarone Bilbao
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Servicio de Cirugía Hepatobiliopancreática y Trasplantes Digestivos, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Barcelona, España
| | - José Ignacio Bilbao
- Unidad de Radiología Vascular e Intervencionista, Departamento de Radiodiagnóstico, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España
| | - Marta Burrel
- Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - Javier Bustamante
- Servicio de Gastroenterología y Hepatología, Sección de Hepatología y Trasplante, Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Baracaldo, España
| | - Joana Ferrer
- Unidad de Oncología Hepática (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer), Servicio de Cirugía Hepatobiliopancreática, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - Miguel Ángel Gómez
- Unidad de Cirugía Hepatobiliopancreática y Trasplantes, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España
| | - Josep María Llovet
- Grupo de Investigación Traslacional en Oncología Hepática, Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - Manuel De la Mata
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Unidad Clínica de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España
| | - Ana Matilla
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Sección de Hepatología, Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España
| | - Fernando Pardo
- Servicio de Cirugía Hepatobiliopancreática y Trasplante, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España
| | - Miguel A Pastrana
- Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España
| | - Manuel Rodríguez-Perálvarez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Unidad Clínica de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España
| | - Josep Tabernero
- Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - José Urbano
- Unidad de Radiología Vascular e Intervencionista, Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, España
| | - Ruth Vera
- Servicio de Oncología Médica, Complejo hospitalario de Navarra, Navarrabiomed-IDISNA, Pamplona, España
| | - Bruno Sangro
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España; Unidad de Hepatología y Área de Oncología HBP, Clínica Universidad de Navarra-IDISNA, Pamplona, España.
| | - Jordi Bruix
- Unidad de Oncología Hepática (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer), Servicio de Hepatología, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, España.
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Li Y, Zheng Y, Wu L, Li J, Ji J, Yu Q, Dai W, Feng J, Wu J, Guo C. Current status of ctDNA in precision oncology for hepatocellular carcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2021; 40:140. [PMID: 33902698 PMCID: PMC8074474 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01940-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The conventional method used to obtain a tumor biopsy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is invasive and does not evaluate dynamic cancer progression or assess tumor heterogeneity. It is thus imperative to create a novel non-invasive diagnostic technique for improvement in cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment selection, response assessment, and predicting prognosis for HCC. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a non-invasive liquid biopsy method that reveals cancer-specific genetic and epigenetic aberrations. Owing to the development of technology in next-generation sequencing and PCR-based assays, the detection and quantification of ctDNA have greatly improved. In this publication, we provide an overview of current technologies used to detect ctDNA, the ctDNA markers utilized, and recent advances regarding the multiple clinical applications in the field of precision medicine for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, number 1291, Jiangning road, Putuo, Shanghai, 200060, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Liwei Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, number 1291, Jiangning road, Putuo, Shanghai, 200060, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Jie Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Weiqi Dai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, number 1291, Jiangning road, Putuo, Shanghai, 200060, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Jiao Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China.
| | - Jianye Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, number 1291, Jiangning road, Putuo, Shanghai, 200060, China.
| | - Chuanyong Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Putuo People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, number 1291, Jiangning road, Putuo, Shanghai, 200060, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Number 301, Middle Yanchang road, Jing'an, Shanghai, 200072, China.
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Ge Z, Helmijr JCA, Jansen MPHM, Boor PPC, Noordam L, Peppelenbosch M, Kwekkeboom J, Kraan J, Sprengers D. Detection of oncogenic mutations in paired circulating tumor DNA and circulating tumor cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Transl Oncol 2021; 14:101073. [PMID: 33915518 PMCID: PMC8100622 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In paired analysis CTCs were detected in 27% and ctDNA in 77% of HCC patients. The TERT promoter mutation C228T was present in all patients with one or more ctDNA mutations, or detectable CTCs. CtDNA (or TERT C228T) positivity was associated with macrovascular invasion and poor survival of advanced HCC patients.
Background and aims Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may be used for diagnostic or prognostic purposes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aim to determine whether CTCs or ctDNA are suitable to determine oncogenic mutations in HCC patients. Methods Twenty-six mostly advanced HCC patients were enrolled. 30 mL peripheral blood from each patient was obtained. CellSearch system was used for CTC detection. A sequencing panel covering 14 cancer-relevant genes was used to identify oncogenic mutations. TERT promoter C228T and C250T mutations were determined by droplet digital PCR. Results CTCs were detected in 27% (7/26) of subjects but at low numbers (median: 2 cells, range: 1–15 cells) and ctDNA in 77% (20/26) of patients. Mutations in ctDNA were identified in several genes: TERT promoter C228T (77%, 20/26), TP53 (23%, 6/26), CTNNB1 (12%, 3/26), PIK3CA (12%, 3/26) and NRAS (4%, 1/26). The TERT C228T mutation was present in all patients with one or more ctDNA mutations, or detectable CTCs. The TERT C228T and TP53 mutations detected in ctDNA were present at higher levels in matched primary HCC tumor tissue. The maximal variant allele frequency (VAF) of ctDNA was linearly correlated with largest tumor size and AFP level (Log10). CtDNA (or TERT C228T) positivity was associated with macrovascular invasion, and positivity of ctDNA (or TERT C228T) or CTCs (≥ 2) correlated with poor patient survival. Conclusions Oncogenic mutations could be detected in ctDNA from advanced HCC patients. CtDNA analysis may serve as a promising liquid biopsy to identify druggable mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhouhong Ge
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam 3015 CN, The Netherlands
| | - Jean C A Helmijr
- Departments of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maurice P H M Jansen
- Departments of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick P C Boor
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam 3015 CN, The Netherlands
| | - Lisanne Noordam
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam 3015 CN, The Netherlands
| | - Maikel Peppelenbosch
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam 3015 CN, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Kwekkeboom
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam 3015 CN, The Netherlands
| | - Jaco Kraan
- Departments of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dave Sprengers
- Departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam 3015 CN, The Netherlands.
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Camus V, Jardin F. Cell-Free DNA for the Management of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14030207. [PMID: 33801462 PMCID: PMC7998645 DOI: 10.3390/ph14030207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, is an emerging “liquid biopsy” tool for noninvasive lymphoma detection, and an increased amount of data are now available to use this technique with accuracy, especially in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). The advantages of cfDNA include simplicity of repeated blood sample acquisition over time; dynamic, noninvasive, and quantitative analysis; fast turnover time; reasonable cost; and established consistency with results from tumor genomic DNA. cfDNA analysis offers an easy method for genotyping the overall molecular landscape of pediatric and adult cHL and may help in cases of diagnostic difficulties between cHL and other lymphomas. cfDNA levels are correlated with clinical, prognostic, and metabolic features, and may serve as a therapeutic response evaluation tool and as a minimal residual disease (MRD) biomarker in complement to positron emission tomography (PET). Indeed, cfDNA real-time monitoring by fast high-throughput techniques enables the prompt detection of refractory disease or may help to address PET residual hypermetabolic situations during or at the end of treatment. The major recent works presented and described here demonstrated the clinically meaningful applicability of cfDNA testing in diagnostic and theranostic settings, but also in disease risk assessment, therapeutic molecular response, and monitoring of cHL treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Camus
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33(0)-2-32-08-29-47; Fax: +33-(0)-2-32-08-22-83
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Chan LK, Tsui YM, Ho DWH, Ng IOL. Cellular heterogeneity and plasticity in liver cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 82:134-149. [PMID: 33647386 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocarcinogenesis involves complex genetic and cellular dysregulations which drive the formation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the predominant form of primary liver cancer, with extensive heterogeneity. In contrast to the broad spectrum of molecularly driven therapies available for defined patient groups in certain cancer types, unfortunately the treatment options for HCC are highly limited. The lack of representative molecular and cellular signatures in the heterogeneous HCC tumors that can effectively guide the choice of the most appropriate treatment among the patients unavoidably limits the treatment outcome. Advancement and wide availability of the next-generation sequencing technologies have empowered us to examine and capture not only the detailed genetic alterations of the HCC cells but also the precise composition of different cell types within the tumor microenvironment and their interactions with the HCC cells at an unprecedented level. The information generated has provided new insight and better defined the inter-patient intertumoral heterogeneity, intra-patient intratumoral heterogeneity as well as the plasticity of HCC cells. These collectively provide a robust scientific basis in guiding the development and use of targeted therapy and immunotherapy. To complement, liquid biopsy coupled with high-sensitivity sequencing could potentially be adopted as a more practical and safer approach to detect and reflect the tumor heterogeneity in HCC patients in guiding the choice of treatment and monitoring disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lo-Kong Chan
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yu-Man Tsui
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Daniel Wai-Hung Ho
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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Labgaa I, Villanueva A, Dormond O, Demartines N, Melloul E. The Role of Liquid Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prognostication. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13040659. [PMID: 33562173 PMCID: PMC7914891 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancer. Clinical guidelines for the management of HCC endorse algorithms deriving from clinical variables whose performances to prognosticate HCC is limited. Liquid biopsy is the molecular analysis of tumor by-products released into the bloodstream. It offers minimally-invasive access to circulating analytes like DNA, RNA, exosomes and cells. This technology demonstrated promising results for various applications in cancers, including prognostication. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the contribution of liquid biopsy in HCC prognostication. The results suggested that liquid biopsy may be a polyvalent and valuable tool to prognosticate HCC. Abstract Showing a steadily increasing cancer-related mortality, the epidemiological evolution of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is concerning. Numerous strategies have attempted to prognosticate HCC but their performance is modest; this is partially due to the heterogeneous biology of this cancer. Current clinical guidelines endorse classifications and scores that use clinical variables, such as the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification. These algorithms are unlikely to fully recapitulate the genomic complexity of HCC. Integrating molecular readouts on a patient-basis, following a precision-medicine perspective, might be an option to refine prognostic systems. The limited access to HCC tissue samples is an important limitation to these approaches but it could be partially circumvented by using liquid biopsy. This concept consists of the molecular analysis of products derived from a solid tumor and released into biological fluids, mostly into the bloodstream. It offers an easy and minimally-invasive access to DNA, RNA, extracellular vesicles and cells that can be analyzed with next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. This review aims to investigate the potential contributions of liquid biopsy in HCC prognostication. The results identified prognostic values for each of the components of liquid biopsy, suggesting that this technology may help refine HCC prognostication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Labgaa
- Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (I.L.); (O.D.); (E.M.)
| | - Augusto Villanueva
- Division of Liver Diseases, Liver Cancer Program, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA;
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Olivier Dormond
- Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (I.L.); (O.D.); (E.M.)
| | - Nicolas Demartines
- Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (I.L.); (O.D.); (E.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Emmanuel Melloul
- Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (I.L.); (O.D.); (E.M.)
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Chen W, Yan H, Li X, Ge K, Wu J. Circulating tumor DNA detection and its application status in gastric cancer: a narrative review. Transl Cancer Res 2021; 10:529-536. [PMID: 35116282 PMCID: PMC8797971 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-20-2856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the small genomic fragment released by tumor cells into the circulating system, which carries the gene variation features, such as mutation, insertion, deletion, rearrangement, copy number variation (CNV) and methylation, rendering it an important biomarker. It can be used not only to diagnose certain types of solid tumors, but also to monitor the therapeutic response and explore the minimal residual disease (MRD) and resistant mutation of targeted therapy. Therefore, ctDNA detection may become the preferred non-invasive tumor screening method. For patients who cannot receive further gene detection due to insufficient or restricted sample collection with the defined pathological diagnosis, ctDNA detection can be carried out to determine the gene mutation type, with no need for repeated sampling. Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignancy with extremely high morbidity and mortality, and its genesis and development are the consequence of interactions of multiple factors, including environment, diet, heredity, helicobacter pylori infection, chronic inflammatory infiltration, and precancerous lesion. As the research on GC moves forward, the existing research mainly focuses on genetic and epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNA changes, gene mutation, gene heterozygosity loss and microsatellite instability. This paper aimed to summarize the contents of ctDNA detection, its application status in GC and clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Chen
- Department of Oncology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Haijiao Yan
- Department of Oncology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Oncology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Kele Ge
- Department of Oncology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Oncology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
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Oversoe SK, Clement MS, Pedersen MH, Weber B, Aagaard NK, Villadsen GE, Grønbæk H, Hamilton-Dutoit SJ, Sorensen BS, Kelsen J. TERT promoter mutated circulating tumor DNA as a biomarker for prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Scand J Gastroenterol 2020; 55:1433-1440. [PMID: 33103505 DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2020.1837928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) with tumor-specific mutations is an attractive biomarker. The telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) C228T promoter mutation is the most prevalent tumor-associated mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated the presence and prognostic value of the TERT C228T mutation in plasma and tissue in a Danish HCC cohort. METHODS We analyzed ctDNA from 95 HCC patients and 45 liver cirrhotic patients without HCC for the TERT mutation using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. We also analyzed DNA from the corresponding primary tumor tissues in 34 HCC patients. RESULTS The plasma TERT C228T mutation was detected in 42/95 HCC patients (44%) but in none of the non-HCC patients. The TERT mutation was detected in 23/34 tumor samples (68%). The TERT mutation was associated with increased mortality when detected in plasma (adjusted HR 2.16 (1.20-3.88), p = .010) but not in tumor tissue (adjusted HR 1.11 (0.35-3.56), p = .860). There was a positive correlation between the presence of the TERT mutation in plasma and an advanced TNM stage (p < .0001) and vascular invasion (p = .005). Analysis of the TERT mutation in plasma and tumor DNA from the same patient was concordant in 21/34 samples (62%; kappa value 0.31, p = .014). Non-concordance was associated with an early TNM stage. CONCLUSION The plasma TERT mutation was detected in 44% of HCC patients and in none of non-HCC cirrhotic patients; and was associated with increased mortality. We propose the TERT C228T mutation in ctDNA as a promising HCC biomarker for prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine K Oversoe
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark.,Department of Internal Medicine, Randers Regional Hospital, Randers, Denmark
| | - Michelle S Clement
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | | | - Britta Weber
- Department of Clinical Oncology and Danish Centre of Particle Therapy, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Niels Kristian Aagaard
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Gerda E Villadsen
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Henning Grønbæk
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | | | - Boe S Sorensen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Jens Kelsen
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
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Li CL, Ho MC, Lin YY, Tzeng ST, Chen YJ, Pai HY, Wang YC, Chen CL, Lee YH, Chen DS, Yeh SH, Chen PJ. Cell-Free Virus-Host Chimera DNA From Hepatitis B Virus Integration Sites as a Circulating Biomarker of Hepatocellular Cancer. Hepatology 2020; 72:2063-2076. [PMID: 32171027 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after surgical resection compromises patient survival. Timely detection of HCC recurrence and its clonality is required to implement salvage therapies appropriately. This study examined the feasibility of virus-host chimera DNA (vh-DNA), generated from junctions of hepatitis B virus (HBV) integration in the HCC chromosome, as a circulating biomarker for this clinical setting. APPROACH AND RESULTS HBV integration in 50 patients with HBV-related HCC was determined by the Hybridization capture-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform. For individual HCC, the vh-DNA was quantified by specific droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay in plasma samples collected before and 2 months after surgery. HBV integrations were identified in 44 out of 50 patients with HBV-related HCC. Tumor-specific ddPCR was developed to measure the corresponding vh-DNA copy number in baseline plasma from each patient immediately before surgery. vh-DNA was detected in 43 patients (97.7%), and the levels correlated with the tumor sizes (detection limit at 1.5 cm). Among the plasma collected at 2 months after surgery, 10 cases (23.3%) still contained the same signature vh-DNA detected at baseline, indicating the presence of residual tumor cells. Nine of them (90%) experienced HCC recurrence within 1 year, supporting vh-DNA as an independent risk factor in predicting early recurrence. Analysis of circulating vh-DNA at recurrence further helped identify the clonal origin. A total of 81.8% of recurrences came from original HCC clones sharing the same plasma vh-DNA, whereas 18.2% were from de novo HCC. CONCLUSIONS vh-DNA was shown to be a circulating biomarker for detecting the tumor load in majority of patients with HBV-related HCC and aided in monitoring residual tumor and recurrence clonality after tumor resection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiao-Ling Li
- Department of Microbiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chih Ho
- Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - You-Yu Lin
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Yun-Ju Chen
- TCM Biotech International Corp., Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | | | - Chi-Ling Chen
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsin Lee
- Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ding-Shinn Chen
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shiou-Hwei Yeh
- Department of Microbiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University Center for Genomic Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jer Chen
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University Center for Genomic Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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Chen VL, Xu D, Wicha MS, Lok AS, Parikh ND. Utility of Liquid Biopsy Analysis in Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Determination of Prognosis, and Disease Monitoring: A Systematic Review. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 18:2879-2902.e9. [PMID: 32289533 PMCID: PMC7554087 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2020.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Liquid biopsies, or blood samples, can be analyzed to detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cell-free DNA (cfDNA), and extracellular vesicles, which might identify patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or help determine their prognoses. We performed a systematic review of studies of analyses of liquid biopsies from patients with HCC and their comparisons with other biomarkers. METHODS We performed a systematic review of original studies published before December 1, 2019. We included studies that compared liquid biopsies alone and in combination with other biomarkers for the detection of HCC, performed multivariate analyses of the accuracy of liquid biopsy analysis in determining patient prognoses, or evaluated the utility of liquid biopsy analysis in monitoring treatment response. RESULTS Our final analysis included 112 studies: 67 on detection, 46 on determining prognosis, and 25 on treatment monitoring or selection. Ten studies evaluated assays that characterized cfDNA for detection of HCC in combination with measurement of α-fetoprotein (AFP)-these studies found that the combined measurement of cfDNA and AFP more accurately identified patients with HCC than measurement of AFP alone. Six studies evaluated assays for extracellular vesicles and 2 studies evaluated assays for CTC in detection of HCC, with and without other biomarkers-most of these studies found that detection of CTCs or extracellular vesicles with AFP more accurately identified patients with HCC than measurement of AFP alone. Detection of CTCs before surgery was associated with HCC recurrence after resection in 13 of 14 studies; cfDNA and extracellular vesicles have been studied less frequently as prognostic factors. Changes in CTC numbers before vs after treatment more accurately identify patients with HCC recurrence than pretreatment counts alone, and measurements of cfDNA can identify patients with disease recurrence or progression before changes can be detected by imaging. We found little evidence that analyses of liquid biopsies can aid in the selection of treatment for HCC. Quality assessment showed risk of bias in studies of HCC detection and determination of prognosis. CONCLUSIONS In a systematic review of 112 studies of the accuracy of liquid biopsy analysis, we found that assays for CTCs and cfDNA might aid in determining patient prognoses and monitoring HCC, and assays for cfDNA might aid in HCC detection, but there is a risk of bias in these studies. Studies must be standardized before we can assess the clinical utility of liquid biopsy analysis in the detection and management of patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent L Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
| | - Dabo Xu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Max S Wicha
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Anna S Lok
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Neehar D Parikh
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Trevisan França de Lima L, Broszczak D, Zhang X, Bridle K, Crawford D, Punyadeera C. The use of minimally invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1874:188451. [PMID: 33065194 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite advances in systemic therapies, patient survival remains low due to late diagnosis and frequent underlying liver diseases. HCC diagnosis generally relies on imaging and liver tissue biopsy. Liver biopsy presents limitations because it is invasive, potentially risky for patients and it frequently misrepresents tumour heterogeneity. Recently, liquid biopsy has emerged as a way to monitor cancer progression in a non-invasive manner. Tumours shed content into the bloodstream, such as circulating tumour cells (CTCs), circulating nucleic acids, extracellular vesicles and proteins, that can be isolated from biological fluids of patients with HCC. These biomarkers provide knowledge regarding the genetic landscape of tumours and might be used for diagnostic or prognostic purposes. In this review, we summarize recent literature on circulating biomarkers for HCC, namely CTCs, circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), RNA, extracellular vesicles and proteins, and their clinical relevance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Trevisan França de Lima
- Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove Campus, QLD, Australia; Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Greenslopes, QLD, Australia
| | - Daniel Broszczak
- Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove Campus, QLD, Australia
| | - Xi Zhang
- Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove Campus, QLD, Australia
| | - Kim Bridle
- The University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Herston, QLD, Australia; Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Greenslopes, QLD, Australia
| | - Darrell Crawford
- The University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Herston, QLD, Australia; Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Greenslopes, QLD, Australia
| | - Chamindie Punyadeera
- Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove Campus, QLD, Australia.
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Zhao W, Qiu L, Liu H, Xu Y, Zhan M, Zhang W, Xin Y, He X, Yang X, Bai J, Xiao J, Guan Y, Li Q, Chang L, Yi X, Li Y, Chen X, Lu L. Circulating tumor DNA as a potential prognostic and predictive biomarker during interventional therapy of unresectable primary liver cancer. J Gastrointest Oncol 2020; 11:1065-1077. [PMID: 33209498 PMCID: PMC7657842 DOI: 10.21037/jgo-20-409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Imaging and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) measurement are used as surveillance methods during interventional therapy in patients with unresectable liver cancer, but their accuracy has been challenged in patients receiving drug perfusion therapy. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can reflect tumor load and treatment efficacy. Studies of the prognostic value of ctDNA in unresectable liver cancer are needed. METHODS Forty-two patients with unresectable liver cancer were prospective enrolled in this study. Pre-treatment, in-treatment plasma samples and available matched tissue samples were collected. Targeted-capture sequencing of 1,021 genes that are frequently mutated in solid tumors. RESULTS Targeted-capture sequencing of 1,021 genes that are frequently mutated in solid tumors revealed that the most frequently mutated genes in ctDNA were TP53 (52.4%) and TERT (35.7%). The ctDNA abundance was more closely correlated with tumor size than the AFP level and was also related to BCLC stage (P<0.001). Gene mutations profile in ctDNA with progressed disease. PD patients were enriched in TP53 mutation group compared with TP53 wildtype group (P=0.0221). Moreover, interventional therapy was more effective in patients without TP53 mutation (OS: P=0.0589; PFS: 0.0411). The dynamic change of ctDNA showed consistent or more sensitivity than imaging for evaluating treatment response. The tumor mutation burden was highly consistent between tissue and blood samples (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS ctDNA was a reliable biomarker to assist in diagnosis and evaluation of prognosis and treatment efficacy in advanced liver cancer. Considering that biopsy is unnecessary when advanced liver cancer is diagnosed, ctDNA may be an ideal biomarker for evaluating tumor mutation burden prior to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhao
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Lige Qiu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
- 2 Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huajiang Liu
- Department of Intervention Therapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Meixiao Zhan
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- 2 Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongjie Xin
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xu He
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xiangyu Yang
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jing Bai
- Geneplus-Beijing Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Xiao
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yanfang Guan
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- Geneplus-Beijing Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Qiyang Li
- 2 Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Xin Yi
- Geneplus-Beijing Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Li
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xudong Chen
- 2 Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ligong Lu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
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48
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Dal Bo M, De Mattia E, Baboci L, Mezzalira S, Cecchin E, Assaraf YG, Toffoli G. New insights into the pharmacological, immunological, and CAR-T-cell approaches in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Drug Resist Updat 2020; 51:100702. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2020.100702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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49
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Wu C, Zhang J, Li H, Xu W, Zhang X. The potential of liquid biopsies in gastrointestinal cancer. Clin Biochem 2020; 84:1-12. [PMID: 32540214 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2020.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liquid biopsy is a novel approach for cancer diagnosis, the value of which in human gastrointestinal (GI) cancer has been confirmed by the previous studies. This article summarized the recent advances in liquid biopsy with a focus on novel technologies and the use of it in the screening, monitoring, and treatment of human GI cancer. CONTENT The concept of liquid biopsy was first used to define the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in cancer patients, and has been expanded to other biomarkers in blood and body fluids, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), extracellular vesicles (EVs) and circulating tumor RNA. If analyzed with proper and advanced techniques like next generation sequencing (NGS) or proteomics, liquid biopsies can open an enormous array of potential biomarkers. The amount changes of target biomarkers and the mutation of genetic materials provide quantitative and qualitative information, which can be utilized clinically for cancer diagnosis and disease monitoring. SUMMARY As a highly efficient, minimally invasive, and cost-effective approach to diagnose and evaluate prognosis of GI cancer, liquid biopsy has lots of advantages over traditional biopsy and is promising in future clinical utility. If the challenges are overcome in the near future, liquid biopsy will become a widely available and dependable option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Jiayin Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Haibo Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu 226000, China
| | - Wenrong Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China.
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50
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Mocan T, Simão AL, Castro RE, Rodrigues CMP, Słomka A, Wang B, Strassburg C, Wöhler A, Willms AG, Kornek M. Liquid Biopsies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Are We Winning? J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9051541. [PMID: 32443747 PMCID: PMC7291267 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. One of the major problems faced by researchers and clinicians in this area is the lack of reliable disease biomarkers, which would allow for an earlier diagnosis, follow-up or prediction of treatment response, among others. In this regard, the “HCC circulome”, defined as the pool of circulating molecules in the bloodstream derived from the primary tumor, represents an appealing target, the so called liquid biopsy. Such molecules encompass circulating tumor proteins, circulating tumor cells (CTCs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), tumor-educated platelets (TEPs), and circulating tumor nucleic acids, namely circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor RNA (ctRNA). In this article, we summarize recent findings highlighting the promising role of liquid biopsies as novel potential biomarkers in HCC, emphasizing on its clinical performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tudor Mocan
- Octavian Fodor Institute for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Iuliu Haţieganu, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - André L. Simão
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.L.S.); (R.E.C.); (C.M.P.R.)
| | - Rui E. Castro
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.L.S.); (R.E.C.); (C.M.P.R.)
| | - Cecília M. P. Rodrigues
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.L.S.); (R.E.C.); (C.M.P.R.)
| | - Artur Słomka
- Department of Pathophysiology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Bingduo Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (B.W.); (C.S.)
| | - Christian Strassburg
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (B.W.); (C.S.)
| | - Aliona Wöhler
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, German Armed Forces Central Hospital Koblenz, 56072 Koblenz, Germany; (A.W.); (A.G.W.)
| | - Arnulf G. Willms
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, German Armed Forces Central Hospital Koblenz, 56072 Koblenz, Germany; (A.W.); (A.G.W.)
| | - Miroslaw Kornek
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (B.W.); (C.S.)
- Correspondence:
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