Early changes in plasma DNA levels of mutant KRAS as a sensitive marker of response to chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer.

ABSTRACT: Pancreatic cancer (PDAC) is still lacking of reliable markers to monitor tumor response. CA 19-9 is the only biomarker approved, despite it has several limitations in sensitivity and specificity. Since mutations of KRAS occur in more than 90% of tumors, its detection in circulating free tumor DNA (cftDNA) could represent a biomarker to monitor chemotherapy response. Twenty-seven advanced PDAC patients given first-line 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan and oxaliplatin or gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel were enrolled. Three ml of plasma were collected: 1) before starting chemotherapy (baseline); 2) at day 15 of treatment; and 3) at each clinical follow-up. cftDNA was extracted and analysed for KRAS mutations (^mutKRAS) by digital droplet PCR. Nineteen patients displayed a ^mutKRA

SUBMITTER: Del Re M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5554237 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature