1. Evaluation of a multimodal ctDNA-based assay for detection of aggressive cancers lacking standard screening tests.
- Author
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Thien Nguyen CV, Hanh Nguyen TH, Vo DH, Vi Van TT, Huong Nguyen GT, Tran TH, Nguyen TH, Khoa Huynh LA, Nguyen TD, Tran NH, Thi Ha TM, Quynh Le PT, Truong XL, Nguyen HL, Tran UV, Hoang TQ, Nguyen VB, Le VC, Nguyen XC, Phuong Nguyen TM, Nguyen VH, Nhat Tran NT, Quynh Dang TN, Tran MH, Nguyen PN, Dao TH, Phuc Nguyen HT, Tran NT, Phan TV, Nguyen DS, Tang HS, Giang H, Phan MD, Nguyen HN, and Tran LS
- Abstract
Aim: Cancers lacking standard screening (LSS) options account for approximately 70% of cancer-related deaths due to late-stage diagnosis. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising biomarker for multi-cancer early detection. We previously developed SPOT-MAS, a multimodal ctDNA-based assay analyzing methylation and fragmentomic profiles, effective in detecting common cancers (breast, colorectal, liver, lung and gastric). This study extends the analysis to five LSS cancers: endometrial, esophageal, head and neck, ovarian and pancreatic. Methods: SPOT-MAS was applied to profile cfDNA methylation and fragmentomic patterns in 739 healthy individuals and 135 LSS cancer patients. Results: We identified 347 differentially methylated regions and observed genome-wide hypomethylation across all five LSS cancers. Esophageal and head and neck cancers showed an enrichment of short cfDNA fragments (<150 bp). Eleven 4-mer end motifs were consistently altered in cfDNA fragments across all LSS cancers. Many significant signatures were consistent with previous observations in common cancers. Notably, SPOT-MAS achieved 96.2% specificity and 74.8% overall sensitivity, with a lower sensitivity of 60.7% in early-stage cancers. Conclusion: This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that SPOT-MAS a non-invasive test trained on five common cancer types, could detect a number of LSS cancer cases, potentially complementing existing screening programs.
- Published
- 2024
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