Molecular residual disease (MRD) detection using bespoke circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays in localized soft tissue sarcoma (STS).

Authors

Abdulazeez Salawu

Abdulazeez Salawu

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

Abdulazeez Salawu , Elizabeth Demicco , Peter W. M. Chung , Jordan Feeney , Erik Spickard , Richa Rathore , Jasmine Lee , Philip Wong , Eoghan Ruadh Malone , Charles Catton , Limore Arones , Madeline J. Phillips , Peter Charles Ferguson , Jay Wunder , Tony Tin , Himanshu Sethi , Minetta C. Liu , David Benjamin Shultz , Albiruni Ryan Abdul Razak

Organizations

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada, Natera, Inc., Austin, TX, Natera, Inc, Austin, TX, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, Department of Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Research Funding

Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Natera

Background: Surgery and (neo)adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) are the mainstay curative treatments for localized STS. Despite treatment, up to 50% of STS patients experience metastatic relapse, and routine use of adjuvant systemic therapy (AST) remains controversial. The presence of ctDNA following curative-intent treatment of STS is a potential biomarker for MRD and may identify patients who are likely to benefit from AST. Given the genomic heterogeneity of STS, a histology-agnostic approach to ctDNA detection in this population is desirable. Methods: Patients (pts) with localized, high risk (size ≥ 5cm, grade ≥ 2) STS were enrolled prior to (neo)adjuvant RT and surgery. Pts who received (neo)adjuvant systemic treatment were excluded. Blood samples for ctDNA analysis were collected at diagnosis, post-RT, post-surgery and every 3 months for up to 2 years. Whole exome sequencing (WES) of archival tumor and matched normal were carried out to identify patient-specific, somatic, single nucleotide variants. Personalized and tumor-informed, multiplex PCR next generation sequencing-based ctDNA (Signatera) assays were then developed to track ctDNA in serially collected plasma samples. ctDNA levels were expressed as mean tumor molecules per milliliter (MTM/ml) of plasma. Radiologic surveillance was performed every 3 months following surgery. The primary endpoint was a ctDNA detection rate of >70% at diagnosis. Secondary endpoints included MRD detection after local therapy and correlation of ctDNA levels with disease relapse. Results: A total of 140 plasma samples from 22 pts [18 male and 4 female; median age: 65 years, range: 30 – 84] were obtained. RT was preoperative in 19/22 pts. Of the 22 tumor samples, 20 had adequate tissue quality for WES to enable ctDNA assay design. Tumor histologic subtypes included undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (n = 6), myxofibrosarcoma (n = 5), and liposarcoma (n = 9). A median of 7 plasma samples per patient (range: 2 – 10) were analyzed. ctDNA was detected in 80% of pts (16/20) at diagnosis, with median ctDNA level of 3.4 MTM/mL (range: 0.2 – 1393.9). Of these 16 pts, 15 (94%) became ctDNA negative at the immediate post-surgical timepoint. In addition, ctDNA was detected in 4 pts (80%) prior to or around radiologic relapse with a median lead time of 92 days. Conclusions: Personalized, tumor-informed ctDNA assays can detect MRD after definitive local therapy and/or prior to radiologic recurrence in patients with localized high-risk STS. As such, serial ctDNA monitoring provides prognostic value and may further identify patients that will benefit from AST treatment. Additional studies evaluating ctDNA as a predictive biomarker for AST benefit are ongoing.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Clinical Science Symposium

Session Title

Biomarkers of the Future: New Strategies to Predict Sarcoma Outcomes

Track

Sarcoma

Sub Track

Soft Tissue Tumors

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr 11509)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.11509

Abstract #

11509

Abstract Disclosures

Funded by Conquer Cancer

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