Student and Faculty Publications
Publication Date
8-16-2024
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with poor prognosis. We aimed to determine whether circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cell (CTC) could predict response and long-term outcomes to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).
METHODS: Patients with TNBC were enrolled between 2017-2021 at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX). Serial plasma samples were collected at four timepoints: pre-NAC (baseline), 12-weeks after NAC (mid-NAC), after NAC/prior to surgery (post-NAC), and one-year after surgery. ctDNA was quantified using a tumor-informed ctDNA assay (Signatera
RESULTS: In total, 37 patients were enrolled. The mean age was 50 and majority of patients had invasive ductal carcinoma (34, 91.9%) with clinical T2, (25, 67.6%) node-negative disease (21, 56.8%). Baseline ctDNA was detected in 90% (27/30) of patients, of whom 70.4% (19/27) achieved ctDNA clearance by mid-NAC. ctDNA clearance at mid-NAC was significantly associated with pathologic complete response (p = 0.02), whereas CTC clearance was not (p = 0.52). There were no differences in overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) with positive baseline ctDNA and CTC. However, positive ctDNA at mid-NAC was significantly associated with worse OS and RFS (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.0034, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: Early clearance of ctDNA served as a predictive and prognostic marker in TNBC. Personalized ctDNA monitoring during NAC may help predict response and guide treatment.
Keywords
Humans, Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms, Circulating Tumor DNA, Female, Neoadjuvant Therapy, Middle Aged, Adult, Neoplastic Cells, Circulating, Biomarkers, Tumor, Aged, Prognosis, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols, Treatment Outcome
Included in
Bioinformatics Commons, Biomedical Informatics Commons, Medical Sciences Commons, Oncology Commons
Comments
Data Availability Statement
PMID: 39148033