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A circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay can detect colorectal cancer (CRC) in blood samples with a high rate of specificity and sensitivity, according to a study published in Annals of Oncology.
The ctDNA assay integrates genomics, epigenomics, and fragmentomics. Researchers tested the assay using blood samples from 2 groups of patients.
The first group consisted of 318 patients with positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) results who participated in a CRC screening program. Only 1 of these patients was ultimately diagnosed with CRC.
The second group consisted of 322 patients with a known CRC diagnosis who provided a blood sample prior to undergoing treatment.
The assay’s sensitivity for detecting CRC was 93%, and the specificity was 90%. The researchers noted that, in comparison, fecal occult blood tests using FIT or mulitarget stool DNA achieve a specificity between 86.6% and 94.9%. Specificity for colonoscopy is higher, but the procedure is more invasive, more expensive, and poses a risk of complications, they added.
The sensitivity of the ctDNA assay varied by TNM stage. Sensitivity was 84% for stage I disease, 94% for stage II, and 96% for stage III (P <.024). The test detected all cases of stage IV disease, but there were only 2 cases.
“[T]he results of this proof-of-concept study show clinical validity of a novel multimodal blood-based assay with high accuracy standards,” the researchers wrote.
They added that this test could increase adherence to CRC screening as well as the accuracy of screening, but more research in larger cohorts is needed.
Disclosures: Some study authors declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or device companies. Please see the original reference for a full list of disclosures.
Reference
Bessa X, Vidal J , Balboa JC, et al. High accuracy of a blood ctDNA-based multimodal test to detect colorectal cancer. Annals Oncol. Published online October 5, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.annonc.2023.09.3113
This article originally appeared on Cancer Therapy Advisor
