This retrospective observational cohort study investigates the association between the intratumoral burden of the bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) and the efficacy of anti-EGFR targeted therapies (cetuximab or panitumumab) in patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Bacterial quantification will be performed using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples, comprising an estimated cohort of 500 patients.
RAS wild-type colorectal cancer is frequently treated with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies; however, primary and acquired resistance rates remain a major limitation to clinical outcomes. Recent evidence suggests that Fusobacterium nucleatum colonization acts as a resistance factor to conventional chemotherapy through the induction of autophagy. This project aims to address the current scientific gap regarding the impact of this bacterium on the response to EGFR inhibitors. The study includes absolute quantification of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and its association with clinicopathological variables, overall survival, progression-free survival, and molecular profile (BRAF, TP53, PIK3CA, and MSI). Additionally, in an exploratory approach, the study will perform a comparative investigation of microbial colonization dynamics between primary tumor sites and their corresponding metastatic lesions using paired tissue samples.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
500
Barretos Cancer Hospital
Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil
Objective Response Rate (ORR)
Proportion of patients who achieved complete or partial response as assessed according to standardized RECIST 1.1 criteria.
Time frame: From the date of first anti-EGFR administration until disease progression, assessed up to 186 months
Overall Survival (OS)
Time elapsed from diagnosis to death from any cause
Time frame: From the date of initial anti-EGFR therapy administration to the date of death from any cause, with a maximum follow-up assessment of up to 186 months.
Progression-Free Survival (PFS).
Time elapsed from treatment initiation (for each line of therapy) to radiological disease progression or death.
Time frame: From the date of initial anti-EGFR therapy administration to the date of first documented radiological disease progression, with a maximum follow-up assessment of up to 186 months
F. nucleatum Load by Tumor Topography and Paired Metastases, Assessed by ddPCR
Analyses will be stratified according to the location of the primary tumor (right-sided colon, left-sided colon, and rectum). In paired samples, the Fusobacterium nucleatum burden will be compared between biopsies from the primary tumor and the corresponding metastatic lesion.
Time frame: Up to 186 months.
Survival Outcomes by Treatment Line (Kaplan-Meier)
Survival distributions are estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method to evaluate the variation in clinical outcomes (OS and PFS) stratified according to the treatment line in which anti-EGFR therapy was administered (first-line versus subsequent lines)
Time frame: From the date of initial anti-EGFR therapy administration, with a maximum follow-up assessment of up to 186 months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
OS and PFS Stratified by Age (Kaplan-Meier Method)
Association between the predictive value of Fusobacterium nucleatum and age at diagnosis (early-onset colorectal cancer, \<50 years, versus late-onset colorectal cancer, ≥50 years).
Time frame: From the date of initial anti-EGFR therapy administration, with a maximum follow-up assessment of up to 186 months
OS and PFS Stratified by Antibiotic Use (Kaplan-Meier Method)
Impact of systemic antibiotic therapy administered during anti-EGFR treatment on OS and PFS, adjusted for baseline intratumoral Fusobacterium nucleatum burden.
Time frame: "From the date of initial anti-EGFR therapy administration, with a maximum follow-up assessment of up to 186 months
F. nucleatum Load by Tumor Mutational Profile, Assessed by ddPCR
Independent predictive correlation between Fusobacterium nucleatum burden and the tumor mutational profile (BRAF, PIK3CA, TP53) as well as microsatellite instability (MSI)
Time frame: Up to 186 months