In a 最近一集的遗传学解密播客, 苏珊·加尔布雷斯他是肿瘤学部门的执行副总裁&澳门在线赌城娱乐的博士, discusses how liquid biopsy is enabling the detection and treatment of cancer, 在一起 查尔斯·斯旺顿教授 弗朗西斯·克里克研究所的研究员 哈帕尔·库马尔爵士， GRAIL欧洲总裁.
Imagine if a small blood sample could tell you everything you want to know about the presence and origin of cancer within the body, to help clinicians select the best treatment for patients and then monitor how well it is working.
This idea is fast becoming a reality thanks to advances in technology that enable the detection of tiny fragments of DNA shed into the bloodstream from cancer cells, 称为循环肿瘤DNA (ctDNA).1 作为这一创新的结果, the use of ‘liquid biopsy’ is moving from the arena of research into clinical practice.2
揭示ctDNA的秘密，为治疗策略提供信息
大多数细胞受损后会将DNA释放到血液中, 死亡或死亡, 癌细胞也不例外.3 通过使用新一代测序等技术，4 这些DNA片段可以揭示关于癌症的大量信息, 不需要侵入性手术活检. 在基本层面上, ctDNA can reveal information about the likely presence and burden of cancer within the body. 但澳门第一赌城在线娱乐现在的能力远不止于此. Detecting the presence of particular genetic mutations in ctDNA can provide vital insights to inform the optimal treatment for each patient.
此外, analysing the frequency of mutation events sheds light on the evolution and heterogeneity of tumours. We can now start to see which mutations are likely to be shared by all cancer cells and which are shared by a smaller proportion of cells, with significant implications for the emergence of resistance to therapy and the eventual return of the disease.5
除了基因密码的改变, we now can study patterns of DNA methylation on ctDNA - molecular tags that can alter the expression of genes, 也被称为表观遗传学. These alterations reveal important clues about the likely tissue of origin and behaviour of cancer, further informing the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.6
将此付诸实践, ctDNA can potentially help doctors identify which patients are most likely to benefit from a particular treatment regimen. It can also be used to monitor the ongoing response to therapy with greater sensitivity and speed than typical imaging scans, 允许医生在必要时更快地转换治疗方法.7
Discover how we are leveraging circulating tumour DNA to uncover new insights on cancer detection and treatments in the below video:
通过早期发现改善结果
Not only does liquid biopsy technology have the potential to improve treatment for people who have already been diagnosed with cancer, but also researchers are exploring the potential to use ctDNA for early detection and screening.8
例如，澳门第一赌城在线娱乐在 GRAIL have developed a multi-cancer blood test based on DNA methylation patterns in ctDNA.9
We are particularly excited to explore the possibilities of GRAIL’s technology to enable the identification and treatment of cancer at an earlier stage when treatment is likely to be even more effective and the chances of survival are higher.10 This allows us to move drugs that are currently being trialled in the late stages of cancer into the early stages of the disease more rapidly than we've ever done before, 帮助澳门第一赌城在线娱乐建立更有效的治疗方案.11
We believe liquid biopsy technology and ctDNA analysis are set to transform cancer care, from the earliest stages of screening and diagnosis through treatment to long-term follow-up, which means the potential for significantly improved outcomes from where we are today.
