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A blood test could help identify men with advanced prostate cancer who are more likely to experience longer disease control following targeted radiotherapy, according to research led by The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, The Institute of Cancer Research, London and University College London. The findings are published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
New analysis from the TRAP trial found that measuring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood before treatment could provide additional information about how a patient's cancer may respond to radiotherapy.
CtDNA consists of small fragments of genetic material released by cancer cells into the bloodstream. Analyzing these fragments can help researchers detect signs of cancer activity that are not apparent on scans.
The TRAP trial investigated the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with hormone-resistant oligoprogressive prostate cancer. Oligoprogressive cancer occurs when cells from the original tumor travel within the body but are only active at fewer than three sites, forming new tumors or lesions. The men on the trial received radiotherapy to these areas while continuing their existing hormone therapies, such as abiraterone or enzalutamide.
However, cancer may also be growing in areas too small to be detected by scans, and not all patients experience the same duration of cancer control following radiotherapy. A blood test could help researchers better understand these differences and investigate which patients may be most suitable for this treatment.
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