ABSTRACT

Using blood samples as a “liquid biopsy” allows non-invasive means to obtain tumor material for molecular analyses, thus circumventing the limitation of traditional biopsies. Due to the obvious clinical implications, liquid biopsies have received increased attention as a biomarker in cancer precision medicine.

Blood liquid biopsies can contain circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) which has been shed into circulation from tumor cells. ctDNA represents, in principle, the entire tumor genome, and thus may encompass the heterogeneity of cancer genomes within or between tumors. The detection of ctDNA has been correlated with clinical characteristics such as tumor volume and stage, suggesting that the presence of tumor-specific DNA in the blood reflects disease burden and tumor activity. ctDNA can thus be used for the real-time monitoring of minimal residual disease, response and resistance to therapy and to monitor tumor evolution.

The first liquid biopsy test in clinical practice has been approved by the FDA, and is used to select NSCLC patients who may benefit from EGFR targeted treatment with the drug erlotinib. In a research setting, a multitude of methods are available for detection of ctDNA. The methods range from single gene to genome-wide assays, and the optimal choice of assay will depend on the sensitivity required and the fraction of tumor DNA present in the liquid biopsy.

Dr. Namløs will present the potential value of NGS assays for liquid biopsies with a focus on the pros and cons for different available methods. She will discuss the general clinical value of NGS for liquid biopsies, as well as the potential for personalized cancer monitoring. Finally, Dr. Namløs will share her experience with using the Archer^® platform, which is not yet FDA-approved for clinical or diagnostic use, and will show how the platform can be used to detect significant characteristics in ctDNA, in addition to capturing tumor heterogeneity.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.  

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About ArcherDX

ArcherDX is a leading genomics company democratizing precision oncology. We offer a suite of research products that are powered by our proprietary Anchored Multiplex PCR (AMP™) chemistry, including FusionPlex^®, VariantPlex^®, LiquidPlex™ and Immunoverse™.

 

With Archer's LiquidPlex, reduce the wait and get high-sensitivity variant calls from blood, faster than waiting for results from tissue, in as little as 3 days with only one hour hands-on time. Click below to learn more about Archer's LiquidPlex panels.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Heidi M. Namløs, Ph.D., Oslo University Hospital, Norway

Heidi Maria Namløs, Ph.D., is a senior scientist with more than 15 years of research experience in the field of high-throughput genomic analysis of cancer. Her work has focused on studying genomic changes in bone and soft-tissue sarcomas to better understand the cancer biology of these tumors.

After finishing her Ph.D. degree in Cancer Genomics at the Institute for Cancer Research at the University of Oslo, Norway, her research has focused towards employing high-throughput sequencing technology to better personalize the treatment of cancer patients. For many years, she has been working close with the Genomics Core Facility at Oslo University Hospital to establish new high-throughput methodologies for targeted sequencing of various cancers, as well as to employ advanced technologies to detect circulating tumor DNA.

Over the past years, her major research focus has been the use of liquid biopsies in soft tissue sarcomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumors, to monitor disease, identify intratumor heterogeneity, as well as monitor treatment with a blood sample.