Droplet Digital PCR as a Molecular Tool for the Detection of the EGFR T790M Mutation in NSCLC Patients with the EGFR Activating Mutations

Abstract

Almost 50% of NSCLC patients who initially show a successful response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeted therapy (TKI therapy) eventually develop acquired EGFR T790M mutation. The T790M secondary mutation can cause resistance to the targeted therapy and disease relapse. Since this mutation can be present at very low frequencies in liquid biopsy samples, droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), due to its high sensitivity, has opened the possibility for minimally invasive monitoring of the disease during TKI targeted therapy.

Keywords

• ddpcr
• liquid biopsy
• nsclc patients
• t790m