A Novel Cell-Free DNA Fragmentomic Assay and Its Application for Monitoring Disease Progression in Real Time for Stage IV Cancer Patients.

ABSTRACT: Background/Objectives: Conventional imaging assesses therapy response in stage IV solid-tumor patients in 8- to 12-week intervals, delaying detection of non-responders. We evaluated a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay that interrogates size-distributed cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragments to provide earlier insights into treatment efficacy. Methods: In this prospective study, 128 patients with metastatic lung, breast, or colorectal cancer provided plasma 12-21 days after the first dose of a new systemic regimen. The qPCR targets multi-copy retrotransposon element fragments of greater than 80 bp, greater than 105 bp, and greater than 265 bp, as well as an internal control. A model integrates these quantities into a Progression Score (PS) ranging from 0 to 100; higher values indicate pr

SUBMITTER: Sinha SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12606779 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature