The utility of detecting circulating tumor DNA using a custom gene panel in hepatocellular carcinoma

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20794
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0901:Oncology and related fields
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Fujii Yasutoshi 広島大学, 消化器内科, 医科診療医 (80964478)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 循環腫瘍DNA / 肝細胞癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Frozen tissue samples, cfDNA samples, and PBMC DNA samples (90 samples in total) from 30 surgical cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with preoperative tumor diameter >3 cm, AFP and PIVKA II negative, were subjected to barcode sequencing using a custom panel. However, the sensitivity of detecting ctDNA was low, and mutations consistent with tissue and ctDNA were detected in only 15.6% of the cases overall. Although the number of cases was small, the ctDNA detection rate was found to increase as the stage increased, as the number of tumors increased, and as the maximum tumor diameter increased.

Free Research Field

肝胆膵

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

安定したctDNAの検出には腫瘍量を要することが分かった。今後全身薬物療法の適応となる患者を対象にし研究を継続する予定である。低コストで安定したctDNAの検出は、腫瘍マーカーとしての解析、奏効に関するバイオマーカー解析、また免疫療法では欠かせない腫瘍微小環境解析において重要な情報を提供するツールとなりうる。