false-positive

ctDNA ‘Liquid Biopsy’ could revolutionize cancer care

Source: www.medscape.com Author: Janis C. Kelly Bits of tumor cell somatic DNA shed into the circulation or released when cells die can now be detected and counted, thanks to advances in gene sequencing. This circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is derived from somatic mutations that occur in the tumor during an individual's life, unlike hereditary mutations that are present in every cell in the body, so ctDNA is a specific cancer biomarker that can be detected, measured, and tracked. Monitoring ctDNA is expected to provide clinicians with faster, cheaper, less invasive ways to assess cancer patients' clinical status and response to therapy. ctDNA assay for multiple genes via next-generation sequencing (NGS) might become a "liquid biopsy" alternative to invasive tissue biopsy, experts told Medscape Medical News. However, they also cautioned that rigorous testing of this concept is needed before the test can be used in practice, saying: "for now, we would counsel clinicians not to jump the gun on this. Faster, Cheaper, More Accurate Tumor Tests Paul B. Chapman, MD, a medical oncologist with the Melanoma and Sarcoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and Chair of the Medical Advisory Panel at the Melanoma Research Alliance in Washington, DC, said that ctDNA assay is less invasive than biopsy, requires no radiation exposure, is relatively inexpensive, uses fresh DNA not exposed to preservatives, and allows near real-time monitoring of response to treatment. "The beauty of ctDNA monitoring is the speed," Dr Chapman said. "If you are looking [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-11-19T09:42:11-07:00November, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

New oral cancer saliva test could reduce false-positive results

Source: www.drbicuspid.com Author: staff Researchers at Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry have discovered a new saliva test for oral cancer that could reduce false-positive results. As new oral cancer diagnoses rose to more than 41,000 in 2013, the demand for early detection continues to increase. Yi-Shing Lisa Cheng, DDS, PhD, an associate professor in diagnostic sciences at Baylor College, has been working to develop a saliva test as an oral cancer screening tool, according to an A&M announcement. In 2009, she received a $381,000 R21 grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to find reliable oral cancer salivary biomarkers, which can be used as indicators of disease or other health conditions. Dr. Cheng recently received a $50,000 faculty bridge grant from Texas A&M Health Science Center and A&M Baylor College of Dentistry's diagnostic sciences department to continue this research. The goal is to determine whether patients with oral lichen planus and periodontal disease exhibit false positives for the future oral cancer saliva tests. Dr. Cheng noted that early detection of cancer is always good and using a saliva test is a noninvasive and relatively easy procedure. Her research differs from models that compare salivary biomarkers of oral cancer patients with those of completely healthy individuals. Instead, Dr. Cheng looked at the biomarkers of patients with noncancerous oral conditions. It's an effort that could save patients thousands of dollars, not to mention the stress and health complications associated with false-positive results. Dr. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-01-31T08:39:38-07:00January, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Early PET-CT predicts treatment response of head and neck cancer

Source: www.curetoday.com Author: staff In patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, negative findings on post-treatment positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT) predict a good treatment response, researchers say. In 31 patients with clinical stage III and IV tumors treated with cisplatin and concurrent external beam radiotherapy, PET-CT was performed 6 to 8 weeks after therapy was completed, along with a comprehensive physical examination of the head and neck, as reported by Dr. James P. Malone, from the Southern Illinois School of Medicine, Springfield, and colleagues in the November Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery. Seventeen patients had evidence of persistent disease on physical exam, CT, and/or PET-CT, and these individuals had surgery for further evaluation. Fourteen patients had complete clinical responses, including no evidence of FDG uptake on PET-CT; these subjects were observed with routine follow-up. According to the researchers, all but one of these 14 patients remained disease free at the primary tumor site during a median follow-up of 26 months. Thus, the authors point out, the sensitivity of PET-CT was 83%, and its negative predictive value was "excellent" at 92% for detection of persistent disease at the primary tumor site. Because of a high false-positive rate, specificity was low at 54%, with a positive predictive value of 31%. Dr. Malone's group attributes the high false-positive rate to inflammation related to recent treatment. The investigators also note that 5 of 16 patients with abnormal FDG update developed local disease. "For patients with abnormal [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-11-18T16:19:03-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|