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Updated: Jul 14, 2025
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Detection and Monitoring of Tumor Associated Circulating DNA in Patient Biofluids
Published on: June 8, 2019
8.7K
Fast, sensitive, and specific multiplexed single-molecule detection of circulating tumor DNA.
Soochul Shin1, Sun Han1, Juyoung Kim1
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
|October 5, 2023
Summary
A new method called SIMUL (single-molecule detection of multiple low-frequency mutations) can detect multiple cancer DNA mutations at low levels. This non-invasive technique improves early cancer detection and treatment monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis is a promising non-invasive method for cancer detection and monitoring.
- Identifying multiple low-frequency point-mutant ctDNAs, especially in early cancer stages, presents a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a multiplexed ctDNA detection technique for sensitive identification of multiple low-frequency mutations.
- To overcome the limitations of current methods in detecting low-abundance mutant ctDNAs.
Main Methods:
- Developed SIMUL (single-molecule detection of multiple low-frequency mutations), a multiplexed ctDNA detection technique.
- Employed unbiased preamplification of wild-type and mutant DNAs.
- Utilized single-molecule multicolor imaging for mutant DNA detection.
Main Results:
- SIMUL achieves highly sensitive and specific detection of multiple single-nucleotide mutations.
- The method is effective even with a 10,000-fold excess of wild-type DNA.
- Accurate measurement of mutant fractions is possible due to a linear correlation between single-molecule spots and variant allele frequency.
Conclusions:
- SIMUL is a breakthrough technique for sensitive and specific detection of multiple low-frequency ctDNA mutations.
- The method offers significant potential for clinical applications, including early cancer detection and response evaluation to anticancer treatments.
- SIMUL enhances the capabilities of non-invasive cancer diagnostics.
