We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Liquid Biopsy More Effective for Analyzing Tumor Drug Resistance Mutations

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 16 Sep 2019
Results published in a recent paper suggested that liquid biopsy – specifically analysis of cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) – may capture the genetic diversity of acquired drug resistance better than classical surgical biopsy of the tumor.

The effectiveness of ctDNA versus standard single-lesion tumor biopsies has not been directly compared in larger-scale prospective cohorts of patients receiving targeted therapy. More...
Therefore, investigators at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (Boston MA, USA) and their colleagues undertook a prospective study of a cohort of 42 patients with molecularly defined gastrointestinal cancers and acquired resistance to targeted therapy.This study was included in a five-year collaboration that analyzed tumors before and after the onset of drug resistance.

Tumors were analyzed using both liquid and tissue biopsies procedures. The investigators employed a suite of computational tools developed at the Broad Institute, known as PhylogicNDT, to analyze tumor DNA and resistance mutations.

Direct comparison of ctDNA versus tumor biopsy revealed that ctDNA more frequently identified clinically relevant resistance alterations and multiple resistance mechanisms, detecting resistance alterations not found in the matched tumor biopsy in 78% of cases. Whole-exome sequencing of serial ctDNA, tumor biopsies and rapid autopsy specimens elucidated substantial geographic and evolutionary differences across separate tumors.

"This study is the largest to date to directly compare liquid biopsy to tumor biopsy in the setting of cancer resistance," said senior author Dr. Ryan Corcoran, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Our findings suggest that liquid biopsy may be the preferred clinical modality for assessing how patients' tumors have evolved after they have become resistant to therapy."

The investigators proposed that the data collected in this study indicated that acquired resistance was frequently characterized by profound tumor heterogeneity, and that the emergence of multiple resistance alterations in an individual patient may represent the “rule” rather than the “exception.”

The study was published in the September 9, 2019, online edition of the journal Nature Medicine.

Related Links:
Broad Institute


Gold Member
Antipsychotic TDM Assays
Saladax Antipsychotic Assays
POC Helicobacter Pylori Test Kit
Hepy Urease Test
New
8-Channel Pipette
SAPPHIRE 20–300 µL
New
Rapid Molecular Testing Device
FlashDetect Flash10
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The test could streamline clinical decision-making by identifying ideal candidates for immunotherapy upfront (Xiao, Y. et al. Cancer Biology & Medicine July 2025, 20250038)

Blood Test Predicts Immunotherapy Efficacy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking targeted therapies, making immunotherapy a promising yet unpredictable option. Current biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression or tumor... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: New diagnostics could predict a woman’s risk of a common sexually transmitted infection (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

New Markers Could Predict Risk of Severe Chlamydia Infection

Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted infection that can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and other reproductive complications when it spreads to the upper genital tract.... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The sensor can help diagnose diabetes and prediabetes on-site in a few minutes using just a breath sample (Photo courtesy of Larry Cheng/Penn State)

Graphene-Based Sensor Uses Breath Sample to Identify Diabetes and Prediabetes in Minutes

About 37 million U.S. adults live with diabetes, and one in five is unaware of their condition. Diagnosing diabetes often requires blood draws or lab visits, which are costly and inconvenient.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.