Measuring circulating tumour DNA in glioma patients

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Identification and quantification of tumour-derived DNA mutations in the urine, blood and cerebrospinal fluid of glioma patients.

• IRAS ID

  140260

• Contact name

  Richard Mair

• Contact email

  Richard.Mair@cruk.cam.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The University of Cambridge

• Research summary

  Glioma is the commonest form of brain cancer and, in its most severe form, has an average survival of just 14.6 months. Treatment involves surgery and chemo/radiotherapy. Recent evidence has shown that MRI and clinical follow up are inadequate for detecting subsequent treatment failure and treatment escape [1].

  DNA from cells that originate within tumours can be isolated from the circulation of individuals with cancer [2]. This DNA has been used to monitor treatment response through examination of both the quantity of genomic mutations present as well as by studying which specific mutations exist e.g. p53. This information may enable oncologists to modify treatment regimes with the ultimate goal of improving survival [2].

  In glioma, the blood-brain barrier reduces the volume of tumour DNA reaching the circulation. Thus for this technique to be efficacious in patients with glioma we also need to sample cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (the medium into which waste products are excreted from the central nervous system). Preclinical studies have demonstrated the presence of tumoural DNA within the CSF and we wish to extend this work into the clinic [3].

  Our aims are:

  1) Compare tumour-derived DNA within the CSF, blood and urine of glioma patients
  2) Identify and correlate the circulating DNA mutations with those in the original tumour
  3) Monitor changes in the mutational landscape and amount of DNA at 3 months following surgery.

  Inclusion criteria for entry into the study will be a radiological diagnosis of glioma in a patient in whom surgery is planned. We propose examining, initially, a group of 25 patients. All patients involved will be treated at Addenbrooke’s hospital, Cambridge.

  References:
  [1] Reardon DA et al. Neuro Oncol. 2014;16(suppl 7):vii24-vii35.
  [2] Murtaza M et al. Nature. 2013;497(7447):108-12.
  [3] Liu B et al. Neuro Oncol 2010;12(6):540–548

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/EE/0094

• Date of REC Opinion

  13 Apr 2015

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion