Benefits and limitations of liquid biopsy in one patient’s clinical trial paradigm.

e23096Background: Each cancer has its individual molecular and genetic fingerprints. Liquid biopsy tests are gaining ground within the industry and the oncology community and are considered as a viable alternative (or potential replacement) to traditional screening methods. Liquid biopsies are helpful to monitor the burden of the disease and identify mutations associated with resistances to targeted therapies. However, the comprehensive characterization of the resistant metastases remains necessary to adapt the treatment. Methods: 10 metastatic cancer patients have been sequenced for 409 genes at high coverage. In parallel IHCs targeting key pathways (mTOR, cell cycle, MAKP/ERK) have been performed. Based on those results different approved treatments were given to patients. They have then been monitored through liquid biopsies using specific markers coming from the initial tumor and a set of > 200 hotspots mutations related to resistance to targeted therapies. Results: For all patients, one or several va...