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Lung cancer

Using ctDNA to track EGFR and KRAS mutations in advanced-stage disease

Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology volume 13, pages 401–402 (2016)Cite this article

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Analysis of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in blood samples provides a surrogate form of tumour biopsy (liquid biopsy) for determining EGFR and KRAS mutation status in patients with advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer. This approach obviates the need for a repeat biopsy, especially for the EGFR T790M mutation, which confers resistance to EGFR inhibition.

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Figure 1: The dynamic nature of resistance mechanisms can be monitored in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA).

References

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Acknowledgements

The work of the authors is supported by grants from the La Caixa Foundation and Red Tematica de Investigacion Cooperativa en Cancer (RTICC; grant RD12/0036/0072).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Catalan Institute of Oncology, Cancer Biology & Precision Medicine Programme, Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital and Health Sciences Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Carretera de Can Ruti, Cami de les Escoles S/N, Badalona, Barcelona, 08916, Spain

    Rafael Rosell

  2. Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Carretera de Can Ruti, Cami de les Escoles S/N, Badalona, Barcelona, 08916, Spain

    Niki Karachaliou

  3. Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor, Calle Viladomat, 288, Barcelona, 08029, Spain

    Niki Karachaliou

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  1. Rafael Rosell
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Correspondence to Rafael Rosell.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Rosell, R., Karachaliou, N. Using ctDNA to track EGFR and KRAS mutations in advanced-stage disease. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 13, 401–402 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2016.83

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