Skip to Content
Merck
  • Circulating tumour cell gene expression and chemosensitivity analyses: predictive accuracy for response to multidisciplinary treatment of patients with unresectable refractory recurrent rectal cancer or unresectable refractory colorectal cancer liver metastases.

Circulating tumour cell gene expression and chemosensitivity analyses: predictive accuracy for response to multidisciplinary treatment of patients with unresectable refractory recurrent rectal cancer or unresectable refractory colorectal cancer liver metastases.

BMC cancer (2022-06-17)
Stefano Guadagni, Francesco Masedu, Giammaria Fiorentini, Donatella Sarti, Caterina Fiorentini, Veronica Guadagni, Panagiotis Apostolou, Ioannis Papasotiriou, Panagiotis Parsonidis, Marco Valenti, Enrico Ricevuto, Gemma Bruera, Antonietta R Farina, Andrew R Mackay, Marco Clementi
ABSTRACT

Patients with unresectable recurrent rectal cancer (RRC) or colorectal cancer (CRC) with liver metastases, refractory to at least two lines of traditional systemic therapy, may receive third line intraarterial chemotherapy (IC) and targeted therapy (TT) using drugs selected by chemosensitivity and tumor gene expression analyses of liquid biopsy-derived circulating tumor cells (CTCs). In this retrospective study, 36 patients with refractory unresectable RRC or refractory unresectable CRC liver metastases were submitted for IC and TT with agents selected by precision oncotherapy chemosensitivity assays performed on liquid biopsy-derived CTCs, transiently cultured in vitro, and by tumor gene expression in the same CTC population, as a ratio to tumor gene expression in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PMBCs) from the same individual. The endpoint was to evaluate the predictive accuracy of a specific liquid biopsy precision oncotherapy CTC purification and in vitro culture methodology for a positive RECIST 1.1 response to the therapy selected. Our analyses resulted in evaluations of 94.12% (95% CI 0.71-0.99) for sensitivity, 5.26% (95% CI 0.01-0.26) for specificity, a predictive value of 47.06% (95% CI 0.29-0.65) for a positive response, a predictive value of 50% (95% CI 0.01-0.98) for a negative response, with an overall calculated predictive accuracy of 47.22% (95% CI 0.30-0.64). This is the first reported estimation of predictive accuracy derived from combining chemosensitivity and tumor gene expression analyses on liquid biopsy-derived CTCs, transiently cultured in vitro which, despite limitations, represents a baseline and benchmark which we envisage will be improve upon by methodological and technological advances and future clinical trials.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
5-Fluorouracil, ≥99% (HPLC), powder
Sigma-Aldrich
Irinotecan hydrochloride, topoisomerase inhibitor
Sigma-Aldrich
Monoclonal Anti-Cytokeratin (Pan-reactive) antibody produced in mouse, clone C-11, purified immunoglobulin, buffered aqueous solution
Sigma-Aldrich
Mitomycin C from Streptomyces caespitosus, powder, BioReagent, suitable for cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
cis-Diammineplatinum(II) dichloride, crystalline