Next-generation sequencing of circulating tumor DNA to predict recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Abstract

Diagnostics: Liquid biopsy detects recurrence but lacks sensitivity A blood test can detect disease recurrence among women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but lacks sensitivity for distant relapse. A team led by Milan Radovich from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, USA, analyzed tumor and blood plasma samples from 38 patients with TNBC who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy to see whether they could find evidence of mutated tumor DNA circulating in the blood after surgery that might predict cancer relapse. This kind of “liquid biopsy” has shown promise for patients with metastatic disease, but it has been tested less extensively in people with earlier-stage disease. The researchers’ blood test picked up tumor DNA in four patients after surgery, all of whom experienced disease recurrence. However, it missed nine other cases of relapse—indicating that the test has high specificity, but only moderate sensitivity.