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Using plasma cell‐free DNA to monitor the chemoradiotherapy course of cervical cancer
Author(s) -
Tian Jichao,
Geng Yan,
Lv Dekang,
Li Peiying,
Cordova Miguel,
Liao Yuwei,
Tian Xiaoyuan,
Zhang Xiaolong,
Zhang Qingzheng,
Zou Kun,
Zhang Yu,
Zhang Xia,
Li Yulong,
Zhang Jian,
Ma Zhaokui,
Shao Yanyan,
Song Luyao,
Owen Gareth I.,
Li Tingting,
Liu Ruimei,
Liu Quentin,
Zou Lijuan,
Zhang Zhuo,
Li Zhiguang
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.32295
Subject(s) - cervical cancer , medicine , liquid biopsy , radiation therapy , chemoradiotherapy , oncology , cell free fetal dna , cancer , biopsy , metastasis , chemotherapy , biomarker , pathology , biology , genetics , pregnancy , fetus , prenatal diagnosis
The liquid biopsy is being integrated into cancer diagnostics and surveillance. However, critical questions still remain, such as how to precisely evaluate cancer mutation burden and interpret the corresponding clinical implications. Herein, we evaluated the role of peripheral blood cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) in characterizing the dynamic mutation alterations of 48 cancer driver genes from cervical cancer patients. We performed targeted deep sequencing on 93 plasma cfDNA from 57 cervical cancer patients and from this developed an algorithm, allele fraction deviation (AFD), to monitor in an unbiased manner the dynamic changes of genomic aberrations. Differing treatments, including chemotherapy ( n = 22), radiotherapy ( n = 14) and surgery ( n = 15), led to a significant decrease in AFD values (Wilcoxon, p = 0.029). The decrease of cfDNA AFD values was accompanied by shrinkage in the size of the tumor in most patients. However, in a subgroup of patients where cfDNA AFD values did not reflect a reduction in tumor size, there was a detection of progressive disease (metastasis). Furthermore, a low AFD value at diagnosis followed a later increase of AFD value also successfully predicted relapse. These results show that plasma cfDNA, together with targeted deep sequencing, may help predict treatment response and disease development in cervical cancer.