Therapy control in oncology by circulating nucleosomes.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Circulating nucleosomes (CNs) in serum are emerging biomarkers in oncology.
• Their levels dynamically change during cancer treatment, particularly chemo- and radiotherapy.
• Understanding these changes may offer insights into therapeutic response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between circulating nucleosome levels and clinical outcomes in solid tumor patients undergoing therapy.
• To determine if early alterations in CNs can predict treatment efficacy.
• To explore the potential of CNs for modulating individual therapy strategies.

Main Methods:

• Serum samples were collected from patients with various solid tumors during treatment.
• Circulating nucleosome levels were quantified and monitored over time, especially during the first therapeutic week and across treatment cycles.
• Changes in CN levels were correlated with treatment response (e.g., chemotherapy for advanced lung cancer) and clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

• Circulating nucleosome levels showed significant alterations during the initial phase of chemo- and radiotherapy, with a rapid increase followed by a decrease.
• In advanced lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, responders exhibited less pronounced increases and more complete decreases in CNs compared to non-responders.
• Therapeutic response correlated with more substantial decreases in CN baseline values between early treatment cycles (1 to 2 and 1 to 3).

Conclusions:

• Circulating nucleosomes serve as a valuable predictive biomarker for early assessment of therapeutic efficacy in solid tumors.
• Monitoring CN dynamics allows for timely adjustments to therapy strategies on an individual patient basis.
• CNs hold potential for optimizing treatment protocols and improving clinical outcomes in oncology.