In 2022, Eugene Vaios, MD, MBA; Scott Floyd, MD, PhD; and Zach Reitman, MD, PhD, opened a biorepository trial to collect plasma samples from patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors receiving radiation therapy. The aim was to use these samples to identify liquid biomarkers that correlate with tumor biology, treatment response and clinical outcomes.
After months of discussions beginning in 2023, Duke Radiation Oncology entered a partnership with Caris Life Sciences, which will support a pilot study using the collected plasma samples to explore the potential of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a non-invasive biomarker for patients with glioblastoma.
“We hypothesize that ctDNA levels in plasma will correlate with tumor burden on MRI, and that changes in ctDNA during radiation therapy may reflect treatment response and predict clinical outcomes, such as progression-free survival,” said Dr. Vaios.
Caris will use their FDA-approved assay to detect ctDNA levels in the blood, which may help distinguish recurrent tumor versus inflammatory changes; the goal of the project is to develop a non-invasive liquid biopsy surveillance platform for patients with brain tumors. Eventually, the data may pave the way for future clinical trials to validate these findings and potentially expand the application of this research to other primary brain tumors and patients with brain metastases.
“The identification of a liquid biomarker that predicts treatment response and outcomes could change clinical practice,” said Dr. Vaios.
The partnership with Caris builds on an existing relationship with Duke’s Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center.