Tumor genomic profiling and personalized tracking of circulating tumor DNA in Vietnamese colorectal cancer patients

BackgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is the fifth most common cancer with rising prevalence in Vietnam. However, there is no data about the mutational landscape and actionable alterations in the Vietnamese patients. During post-operative surveillance, clinical tools are limited to stratify risk of recurrence and detect residual disease. MethodIn this prospective multi-center study, 103 CRC patients eligible for curative-intent surgery were recruited. Genomic DNA from tumor tissue and paired white blood cells were sequenced to profile all tumor-derived somatic mutations in 95 cancer-associated genes. Our bioinformatic algorithm identified top mutations unique for individual patient, which were then used to monitor the presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in serial plasma samples. ResultsThe top mutated genes in our cohort were APC, TP53 and KRAS. 41.7% of the patients harbored KRAS and NRAS mutations predictive of resistance to Cetuximab and Panitumumab respectively; 41.7% had mutations targeted by either approved or experimental drugs. Using a personalized subset of top ranked mutations, we detected ctDNA in 90.5% of the pre-operative plasma samples, whereas carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was elevated in only 41.3% of them. Interim analysis after 16-month follow-up revealed post-operative detection of ctDNA in two patients that had recurrence, with the lead time of 4-10.5 months ahead of clinical diagnosis. CEA failed to predict recurrence in both cases. ConclusionOur assay showed promising dual clinical utilities in residual cancer surveillance and actionable mutation profiling for targeted therapies in CRC patients. This could lay foundation to empower precision cancer medicine in Vietnam and other developing countries.

Automated summary

This prospective multi-center study investigated the mutational landscape and actionable alterations in Vietnamese patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The study identified the most common mutated genes and found that a significant percentage of patients had mutations predictive of resistance to certain drugs. The researchers also developed an assay to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) using personalized subsets of top ranked mutations. The assay showed promising results in residual cancer surveillance and actionable mutation profiling for targeted therapies in CRC patients.