Exploring Early Kinetic Profiles of CEA, ctDNA and cfDNA in Patients With RAS-/BRAF-Mutated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Julian Hamfjord, Tormod Kyrre Guren*, Bengt Glimelius, Halfdan Sorbye, Per Pfeiffer, Olav Dajani, Ole Christian Lingjærde, Kjell Magne Tveit, Karen-Lise Garm Spindler, Niels Pallisgaard, Elin H Kure

*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftArtikelForskningpeer review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) respond differently to first-line chemotherapy. Early identification of patients with limited or no clinical benefit could prompt a timelier introduction of second-line therapy and potentially lead to improved overall outcomes. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is currently the only blood-based marker in clinical use for disease control monitoring in mCRC. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) could become a useful surrogate for oncological outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with RAS-/BRAF-mutated mCRC from the prospective NORDIC-VII trial (NCT00145314) were included. An exploratory model system was made to describe the early on-treatment kinetics of CEA, cfDNA and ctDNA during first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy, and investigate the associations with radiological response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS: Summary metrics were made, representing percentage change from treatment start to time-grid day 7 (P7), day 14 (P14), and day 49 (P49); slope from time-grid day 0 to 7 (S7), day 8 to 14 (S14), and day 15 to 49 (S49); and area under the curve from time-grid day 0 to 49 (AUC). Notably P49 and S49 for ctDNA and CEA were associated with radiological response and/or PFS. The early dynamics of the two markers differed substantially, with faster and more marked changes in ctDNA compared with CEA. Nine patients did not reach complete/near complete molecular ctDNA response close to first evaluation (∼week 8), a state associated with a short PFS (HR 2.72; 95% CI, 1.22-6.06; P = .01) and OS (HR 3.12; 95% CI, 1.35-7.23; P < .01). Contrary, twenty-two patients did not reach radiological response (i.e., complete or partial response) at first evaluation, but this was not associated with PFS (HR 1.21; 95% CI, 0.64-2.30; P = .55) nor OS (HR 1.37; 95% CI, 0.70-2.68; P = .37).

CONCLUSION: Early dynamics of ctDNA during first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy hold prognostic value, supporting the idea of prospectively validating a ctDNA-RECIST framework in the early care pathway of mCRC patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00145314.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Sider (fra-til)153-158
Antal sider6
TidsskriftClinical Colorectal Cancer
Vol/bind24
Udgave nummer2
Tidlig onlinedato3 dec. 2024
DOI
StatusUdgivet - jun. 2025

Finansiering

Bevillingsgivere
Novo Nordisk Foundation
Region Midtjylland
Kreftforeningen
Swedish Cancer Society
Merck KGaA
Sanofi

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