Cell-Free DNA Assays Move From Research to Routine Clinical Oncology
This early review surveys the expanding clinical landscape of plasma cfDNA genotyping, from its FDA-approved use in EGFR-mutant NSCLC to investigational applications in early diagnosis, minimal residual disease detection, and treatment response monitoring. The authors propose strategies for integrating cfDNA assays into routine clinical care, including lab staff training and assay standardization.
The original study
Cell-Free DNA in Oncology: Gearing up for Clinic.
- Authors
- Ulrich BC, Paweletz CP
- Journal
- Annals of laboratory medicine
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 29071812
Original abstract
In the past several years, interest in the clinical utility of cell-free DNA as a noninvasive cancer biomarker has grown rapidly. Success in the development of plasma genotyping assays and other liquid biopsy assays has widened the scope of cell-free DNA use in research and the clinic. Already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in the narrow context of epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated non-small cell lung cancer, plasma genotyping assays are currently being investigated in a wide array of clinical settings and modalities. These include plasma genotyping as a tool for early diagnosis, the detection of minimal residual disease, and the evaluation of treatment response/progression. In this review, we assess the clinical landscape of plasma genotyping assays and propose strategies for their further expansion into routine clinical care.