This is a prospective observation study in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) starting either cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation therapy. It will assess changes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the days following the initiation of treatment, as well as longitudinal monitoring, to assess the dynamics and value of ctDNA in stage III-IV NSCLC.
The study consists of three cohorts of patients initiating a new treatment for their NSCLC. The cohorts of (1) patients starting concurrent chemotherapy and radiation for stage III NSCLC (2) patients with advanced NSCLC starting cytotoxic chemotherapy (with or without pembrolizumab) (3) patients with advanced NSCLC starting palliative radiation therapy. This study aims to study the changes in ctDNA levels following a new treatment in lung cancer patients and to explore if the diagnostic utility of ctDNA testing is improved immediately following treatment when tumour cells are actively dying. It will also examine the changes in ctDNA levels and mutational analysis longitudinally.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
40
Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) will be isolated from blood samples
London Regional Cancer Program
London, Ontario, Canada
To measure the change in quantitative ctDNA levels following the initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation
Post-treatment ctDNA levels will be reported as the mean percent increase with standard deviation at maximum compared to baseline (pre-treatment) ctDNA levels.
Time frame: Cohort 1 and 2: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) of chemotherapy. Cohort 3: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of radiotherapy (up to 3 weeks)
To identify the timepoint after the initiation of treatment at which the quantified level of ctDNA peaks
This will be reported as the mean time to maximal ctDNA level with standard deviation from the initiation of treatment
Time frame: Cohort 1 and 2: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) of chemotherapy. Cohort 3: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of radiotherapy (up to 3 weeks)
To detect genetic alterations at the time point of maximal ctDNA that were not present in baseline testing
Will be reported as gene names, with allelic frequencies, found in post-treatment samples that were not present in samples collected at baseline.
Time frame: Cohort 1 and 2: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) of chemotherapy. Cohort 3: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of radiotherapy (up to 3 weeks)
To identify the proportion of patients that do not have genetic alterations present in baseline samples but have genetic alterations detected at the timepoint of maximal quantified ctDNA
This will be reported as frequency counts and proportions.
Time frame: Cohort 1 and 2: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) of chemotherapy. Cohort 3: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of radiotherapy (up to 3 weeks)
To determine the percentage of stage III patients with clinically relevant (targetable or prognostic), at any stage of lung cancer, ctDNA genetic alterations.
Will be reported as frequency counts and proportions.
Time frame: Cohort 1 and 2: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of cycle 1 (each cycle is 21 days) of chemotherapy. Cohort 3: Baseline (pre-treatment) to end of radiotherapy (up to 3 weeks)
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