Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dai Koguchi, Kazumasa Matsumoto, Izuru Shiba, Takahiro Harano, Satoshi Okuda, Kohei Mori, Shuhei Hirano, Kazuki Kitajima, Masaomi Ikeda, Masatsugu Iwamura
Summary: Early detection of bladder cancer is crucial, but current screening methods have limited diagnostic accuracy. Liquid biopsy, including CTCs, ucfDNA, and umiRNA, has shown promise as a complementary diagnostic tool. However, more research is needed to validate its clinical application.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Megan E. Barefoot, Netanel Loyfer, Amber J. Kiliti, A. Patrick McDeed, Tommy Kaplan, Anton Wellstein
Summary: Traditional tissue biopsies for cancer diagnostics have limitations such as invasiveness and sampling inaccuracies, while liquid biopsies offer a complementary approach to detect dynamic changes in specific cell populations. Changes in cellular origins of cfDNA can reveal altered tissue homeostasis, including cancer invasion and metastasis, as well as treatment responses.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Gehan Botrus, Pedro Luiz Serrano Uson Junior, Puneet Raman, Adrienne E. Kaufman, Heidi Kosiorek, Jun Yin, Yu Fu, Umair Majeed, Mohamad Bassam Sonbol, Daniel H. Ahn, Isabela W. Chang, Leylah M. Drusbosky, Hiba Dada, Jason Starr, Mitesh Borad, Kabir Mody, Tanios S. Bekaii-Saab
Summary: Detection of ctDNA in advanced PC at initial diagnosis can predict clinical outcomes. Patients with >= 2 detectable genomic alterations have worse survival rates. Patients with KRAS and TP53 alterations are associated with worse survival rates.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Eva Obermayr, Nina Koppensteiner, Nicole Heinzl, Eva Schuster, Barbara Holzer, Hannah Fabikan, Christoph Weinlinger, Oliver Illini, Maximilian Hochmair, Robert Zeillinger
Summary: This study highlighted the importance of molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in NSCLC patients. The analysis found that cancer stem cell-related transcripts were significantly associated with overall survival at both primary diagnosis and disease progression.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anelis Maria Marin, Heloisa Bruna Soligo Sanchuki, Guilherme Naccache Namur, Miyuki Uno, Dalila Luciola Zanette, Mateus Nobrega Aoki
Summary: The lack of reliable early diagnostic tools is a major challenge in managing pancreatic cancer, which is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. The emergence of liquid biopsy as a less invasive approach focusing on plasmatic biomarkers such as DNA and RNA has addressed this issue. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cell-free nucleic acids (cfNAs) like DNA, mRNA, and non-coding RNA (miRNA and lncRNA) in the blood of cancer patients have been investigated as potential biomarkers. This article focuses on circulating cfNAs as plasmatic biomarkers for pancreatic cancer and analyzes their advantages compared to traditional biopsy methods.
Review
Oncology
Jelena Milin-Lazovic, Petar Madzarevic, Nina Rajovic, Vladimir Djordjevic, Nikola Milic, Sonja Pavlovic, Nevena Veljkovic, Natasa M. Milic, Dejan Radenkovic
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 44 studies including 3524 PDAC patients, showing that cfDNA and KRAS mutations have an overall negative impact on the survival of PDAC patients. The assessment of KRAS mutation by liquid biopsy could be a valuable additional tool for estimating disease course and outcome in PDAC patients.
Article
Oncology
Cloud P. Paweletz, Grace A. Heavey, Yanan Kuang, Emily Durlacher, Thian Kheoh, Richard C. Chao, Alexander I. Spira, Konstantinos Leventakos, Melissa L. Johnson, Sai-Hong Ignatius Ou, Gregory J. Riely, Kenna Anderes, Wenjing Yang, James G. Christensen, Pasi A. Janne
Summary: This study reports on early ctDNA changes of KRAS G12C in lung cancer patients and suggests that ctDNA changes can be used as a potential measure for early prediction of clinical response.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Ian M. Freed, Anup Kasi, Oluwadamilola Fateru, Mengjia Hu, Phasin Gonzalez, Nyla Weatherington, Harsh Pathak, Stephen Hyter, Weijing Sun, Raed Al-Rajabi, Joaquina Baranda, Mateusz L. Hupert, Prabhakar Chalise, Andrew K. Godwin, Malgorzata A. Witek, Steven A. Soper
Summary: There is a high clinical need to improve outcomes for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients. This study reports on an innovative approach using circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to monitor treatment efficacy in PDAC patients receiving a new therapy. The approach showed promise in predicting treatment response and outperformed the standard CA19-9 biomarker.
Article
Oncology
Patricia Mondelo-Macia, Jorge Garcia-Gonzalez, Alicia Abalo, Manuel Mosquera-Presedo, Santiago Aguin, Maria Mateos, Rafael Lopez-Lopez, Luis Leon-Mateos, Laura Muinelo-Romay, Roberto Diaz-Pena
Summary: This study confirmed the prognostic value of cfDNA quantitative analysis in SCLC patients before and during therapy, and developed a new risk prognostic model that can help identify patients who could benefit from current treatments.
TRANSLATIONAL LUNG CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Mary E. Norton
Summary: The 2022 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award is awarded to Yuk Ming Dennis Lo for his discovery of fetal DNA in the maternal circulation, which has revolutionized prenatal screening.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brittany Rupp, Sarah Owen, Harrison Ball, Kaylee Judith Smith, Valerie Gunchick, Evan T. Keller, Vaibhav Sahai, Sunitha Nagrath
Summary: As pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest cancer in the U.S., studying genetic alterations is crucial for understanding potential targets for cancer treatment. This study presents the Labyrinth-DEPArray pipeline for isolating and analyzing single circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Sequencing reveals copy number variations (CNVs) in single cells, including gains and losses of cancer-related genes. The pipeline combines antigen-free CTC isolation with single cell genomic analysis, offering a validated workflow for pancreatic cancer research.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Lars Sivars, Kristina Hellman, Ylva Crona Guterstam, Stefan Holzhauser, Magnus Nordenskjold, Henrik Falconer, Kolbrun Palsdottir, Emma Tham
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the detectability of cell-free human papillomavirus DNA (ctHPV DNA) in patients with cervical cancer or pre-malignant lesions and its correlation with patient and tumor characteristics and outcome. The results showed a high proportion of ctHPV DNA detection in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, and its levels were correlated with disease staging. Furthermore, the presence of ctHPV DNA was associated with worse progression-free survival in patients.
GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Young Hoon Choi, Tae Ho Hong, Seung Bae Yoon, In Seok Lee, Myung Ah Lee, Ho Joong Choi, Moon Hyung Choi, Eun Sun Jung
Summary: Portal venous circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can serve as a biomarker for early recurrence and poor prognosis in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer. The number of CTCs is associated with stage and regional lymph node metastasis, and low portal venous CTCs are associated with better overall and recurrence-free survival.
Article
Cell Biology
Sara Bonlokke, Magnus Stougaard, Boe Sandahl Sorensen, Berit Bargum Booth, Estrid Hogdall, Gitte-Bettina Nyvang, Jacob Christian Lindegaard, Jan Blaakaer, Jesper Bertelsen, Katrine Fuglsang, Mikael Lenz Strube, Suzan Lenz, Torben Steiniche
Summary: Circulating cell-free HPV DNA (ccfHPV DNA) can serve as a marker for cervical cancer. This study used digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) to detect and quantify ccfHPV DNA in plasma from patients with HPV16- or HPV18-associated cervical cancer. The results showed that ccfHPV DNA may not be useful for early detection of cervical cancer, but it can be a promising tool for establishing tumor burden and monitoring the disease in advanced stage cervical cancer patients.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yoon-Tae Kang, Zeqi Niu, Thomas Hadlock, Emma Purcell, Ting-Wen Lo, Mina Zeinali, Sarah Owen, Venkateshwar G. Keshamouni, Rishindra Reddy, Nithya Ramnath, Sunitha Nagrath
Summary: NK cells and their derived exosomes play a crucial role in cancer immunotherapy, as they exhibit high stability and lower immunogenicity, providing possibilities for personalized treatments. A novel microfluidic system for collecting patient-specific NK cells and NK-exosomes on chips offers potential applications in cancer therapies.
Article
Oncology
Ellery Altshuler, Aaron J. Franke, William Paul Skelton, Michael Feely, Yu Wang, Ji-Hyun Lee, Thomas Read, Krista Terracina, Xiang -Yang Lou, Yunfeng Dai, Thomas J. George
Summary: This study compared the tumor profiles of younger (<50 years) and older (>50 years) patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) after implementing universal reflex dMMR/MSI-H testing. Tumors of younger patients were less likely to have dMMR/MSI-H or BRAF mutation.
CLINICAL COLORECTAL CANCER
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Siqing Fu, Shuyang Yao, Yuan Yuan, Rebecca A. Previs, Anthony D. Elias, Richard D. Carvajal, Thomas J. George, Ying Yuan, Lihou Yu, Shannon N. Westin, Yan Xing, Ecaterina E. Dumbrava, Daniel D. Karp, Sarina A. Piha-Paul, Apostolia M. Tsimberidou, Jordi Rodon Ahnert, Naoko Takebe, Karen Lu, Khandan Keyomarsi, Funda Meric-Bernstam
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the antitumor activity of adavosertib in patients with CCNE1-amplified, advanced refractory solid tumors. The results showed that adavosertib demonstrated a manageable toxicity profile and promising clinical activity in patients with CCNE1-amplified refractory solid tumors.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Johanna Bendell, Patricia LoRusso, Michael Overman, Anne M. Noonan, Dong-Wan Kim, John H. Strickler, Sang-We Kim, Stephen Clarke, Thomas J. George, Peter S. Grimison, Minal Barve, Manik Amin, Jayesh Desai, Trisha Wise-Draper, Steven Eck, Yu Jiang, Anis A. Khan, Yuling Wu, Philip Martin, Zachary A. Cooper, Nairouz Elgeioushi, Nancy Mueller, Rakesh Kumar, Sandip Pravin Patel
Summary: This study evaluated the use of oleclumab in patients with advanced colorectal cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer. The results showed that oleclumab had a manageable safety profile and demonstrated antitumor activity.
CANCER IMMUNOLOGY IMMUNOTHERAPY
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Guettchina Telisnor, David L. DeRemer, Esther Frimpong, Edward Agyare, John Allen, Luisel Ricks-Santi, Bo Han, Thomas George, Sherise C. Rogers
Summary: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer mortality, and the incidence is projected to increase by 2030. African Americans have higher incidence and mortality rates compared to European Americans, possibly due to socioeconomic factors, access to healthcare, and genetic differences. Genetics and pharmacogenetics play a role in PDAC disparities, and our findings suggest that the genetic profiles of African Americans may contribute to disparities related to FDA approved chemotherapeutic response for PDAC patients. Improving genetic testing and participation in biobank sample donations for African Americans is recommended to enhance our understanding of genes that influence drug response in PDAC patients.
JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Atif Iqbal, Aimal Khan, Steven Hughes, Sanda Tan, Hector Garcia-Chavez, Thomas J. George, Thomas Read
Summary: The study aimed to validate the Pelvic Surgery Difficulty Index as a prognostic tool for outcomes of pelvic dissection. Patients who underwent deep pelvic dissection were reviewed and outcomes were compared based on the index score. The results showed that higher index scores were associated with more blood loss, longer operative time, more complications, higher costs, and longer hospital stay. The model achieved good discrimination for most outcomes. In conclusion, the validated model can enable preoperative prediction of morbidity in difficult pelvic dissection.
Article
Oncology
Yi Guo, Jiang Bian, Zhaoyi Chen, Jennifer N. N. Fishe, Dongyu Zhang, Dejana Braithwaite, Thomas J. J. George, Elizabeth A. A. Shenkman, Jonathan D. D. Licht
Summary: This study found that asthma patients have an increased risk of developing cancer, especially those who do not use inhaled steroids. However, inhaled steroid use may have a protective effect against certain types of cancer.
Article
Oncology
Andrea N. Riner, Devon C. Freudenberger, Kelly M. Herremans, Vignesh Vudatha, Daniel W. Neal, Thomas J. George, Jose G. Trevino
Summary: Traditional clinical trial eligibility criteria limit the study population and worsen enrollment disparities. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of modernized eligibility criteria guidelines in pancreatic cancer clinical trials. A total of 198 trials conducted in the United States between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017, were assessed for guideline compliance. Improvements were observed in allowing patients with HIV history, prior cancer, or concurrent and/or stable cancer to participate. However, overall compliance with modernized criteria remains poor, highlighting the need for stakeholders to update protocols and scrutinize restrictive eligibility criteria.
JNCI CANCER SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ibrahim Nassour, Austin Parrish, Lucy Baptist, Sarah Voskamp, Komal Handoo, Sherise Rogers, Jesus Fabregas, Thomas George, Kathryn Hitchcock, Alessandro Paniccia, Steven Hughes
Summary: The use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer has surpassed the traditional standard of upfront surgery followed by adjuvant therapy, indicating a national shift in clinical management of the disease.
Article
Oncology
Kriti Gera, Doga Kahramangil, Graeme A. Fenton, Daniela Martir, Diana N. Rodriguez, Zohaib Ijaz, Rick Y. Lin, Sherise C. Rogers, Brian H. Ramnaraign, Thomas J. George, Young-Rock Hong, Steven J. Hughes, Ibrahim Nassour, Ilyas Sahin
Summary: This study analyzed the SEER database to investigate metastatic gallbladder adenocarcinoma patients and found that bone metastasis is an independent prognostic factor for unfavorable survival outcomes in the younger age group. Chemotherapy treatment is associated with extended survival in all patients.
Article
Oncology
Muhammet Ozer, Suleyman Yasin Goksu, Rick Y. Lin, Ruveyda Ayasun, Doga Kahramangil, Sherise C. Rogers, Jesus C. Fabregas, Brian H. Ramnaraign, Thomas J. George, Michael Feely, Roniel Cabrera, Sergio Duarte, Ali Zarrinpar, Ilyas Sahin
Summary: This study analyzed a cohort of 170,576 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and found a bone metastasis rate of 3.1%. The results showed that HCC patients with well-differentiated tumors, receiving chemotherapy, younger age, no major comorbidities, and treated at academic facilities had better overall survival.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Valber A. Pedrosa, Kangfu Chen, Thomas J. George, Z. Hugh Fan
Summary: Liquid biopsy has been developed for diagnosing and monitoring cancer. However, there is still room for improvement in capturing circulating tumor cells (CTCs). In this study, we integrated gold nanoparticles with a microfluidic platform to develop an efficient CTC detection system, which achieved CTC capture within 120 min. Our method was optimized and demonstrated high efficiency (90% ± 3.2%) in capturing CTCs from pancreatic tumor cell lines and patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Article
Oncology
Riley P. Bohan, Andrea N. Riner, Kelly M. Herremans, Thomas J. George, Steven J. Hughes, Lauren B. Solberg
Summary: The standard of care for resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has evolved to include neoadjuvant treatment before surgical resection. Current guidelines recommend obtaining histologic tissue diagnosis through endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration before neoadjuvant therapy, which is different from guidelines discouraging delay in surgical resection for a biopsy.
JCO ONCOLOGY PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Thomas J. George, Tara L. Lin, Tricia Adrales Bentz, Stefan Grant, Collette M. Houston, Melissa A. Nashawati, Bhanu Pappu, Helen Peck, Alex Zafirovski, Kimberly Kerstann, Patricia Lorusso, Anne Schnatterly, Janie Hofacker, Kendra Cameron, Hailey Honeycutt, Theresa L. Werner
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on oncology clinical trials, resulting in a substantial decrease in interventional treatment trial accruals in 2020 and 2021 compared to pre-pandemic figures in 2019. However, hospitals were able to implement best practices to ensure patient safety and continue clinical trials despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
JNCI CANCER SPECTRUM
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Lisa Scarton, Tarah Nelson, Yingwei Yao, Shavondra Huggins, Ara Jo, LaToya J. O'Neal, Thomas J. George, Juan M. Munoz-Pena, Merry J. Markham, Martina C. Murphy, Jonathan A. Chatzkel, Sherise Rogers
CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY BIOMARKERS & PREVENTION
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
D. S. Hong, A. Birnbaum, C. Steuer, M. Taylor, T. J. George, J. Lacy, B. Wang, F. Beca, L. Nicacio, I. Soumaoro, M. Cho
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY BIOLOGY PHYSICS
(2022)