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Updated: Jun 29, 2025
Adaptation of Semiautomated Circulating Tumor Cell CTC Assays for Clinical and Preclinical Research Applications
Published on: February 28, 2014
Circulating tumour DNA dynamics during alternating chemotherapy and hormonal therapy in metastatic breast cancer: the
Rebecca C Allsopp1, Qi Guo1, Karen Page1
1Leicester Cancer Research Centre, Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Robert Kilpatrick Clinical Sciences Building, Leicester, LE2 7LX, UK.
Purpose:
Although changes in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in breast cancer are well described, the kinetics of their fluctuations has not been described over short timescales. We investigated ctDNA dynamics during alternating cycles of chemotherapy and hormonal treatment in pre-treated patients with oestrogen receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer.
Methods:
Patients received alternating, 9-week cycles of eribulin and aromatase inhibitors (AIs). The clinical primary endpoint, progression-free survival (PFS), was monitored at 3, 6 and 9 months; secondary endpoints, clinical benefit rate (CBR), safety and tolerability profiles, were also assessed. Importantly, ctDNA fluctuations were monitored using the Oncomine™ Breast cfDNA assay to test whether biomarkers may change rapidly between chemotherapy and aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment in the setting of advanced breast cancer, potentially reflecting disease dynamics.
Results:
The median PFS was 202 days (95% CI: 135-undefined) and 235 days (95% CI: 235-undefined) at 6 and 9 months, respectively, with a 50% CBR at both 6 and 9 months. Dynamic changes in ctDNA were observed in short timescales between chemotherapy and AI treatment and support the clinical benefit (CB) seen in individual patients and, critically, appear informative of acquired resistance in real time.
Conclusion:
Changes in ctDNA can occur rapidly and reflect changes in patients' clinical tumour responses (NCT02681523).
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