Circulating tumour DNA may play a crucial role in the detection of preclinical lung cancer

A new study led by researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) assessed the presence of TP53 mutations in the cell-free DNA (cfDNA) extracted from the plasma of 51 small-cell lung cancer cases and 225 non-cancer controls. The detection of TP53 mutations in 11% of the controls poses serious challenges for the use of cfDNA in early detection of cancer.

Identification of circulating tumor DNA for the early detection of small-cell lung cancer
Fernandez-Cuesta L, Perdomo S, Avogbe PH, Leblay N, Delhomme TM, Gaborieau V, et al.
EBioMedicine. 2016; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.06.032

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