Quantitative analysis of plasma DNA in anal cancer patients

The availability and non-invasiveness of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) opens up new possibilities for real-time serial testing. The relationship between cfDNA concentration, clinical factors and suitability for monitoring was analyzed in patients with newly diagnosed anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC).Blood samples were collected at several points during and after treatment. Patients were homogeneously treated with chemoradiotherapy.The concentration of cfDNA strongly correlated with the tumor volume (Substantial changes in plasma cfDNA content can be observed after chemoradiotherapy for ASCC. However, the small number of cases studied makes it difficult to assess the usefulness of the cfDNA test.