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‘Hunting for Traces of Cancer in Blood’ by Amin El-Heliebi, Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology at the Medical University of Graz, Austria.
Most cancer deaths are caused by cancer metastasis, which arise from cells that break free of tumors and seed metastasis in other parts of the body.
Dr El-Heliebi’s research focuses on studying therapy resistance and circulating tumor cells (CTC) shedding.
The latest version of the "S3 Guidelines for Prevention, Diagnostics, Therapy and Follow-up care of lung cancer patients" (Feb. 2018) requires the use of a liquid biopsy in various clinical situations. Dr. Michael Fleischhacker, DRK Kliniken Berlin, Germany, discusses this fact and demonstrates the usefulness of this approach. On the other hand, we should be aware that our knowledge of the basics of extracellular nucleic acids is still limited.
“In another follow-up project we extended our analysis of cell-free DNA from lung cancer patients. The aim of our study was to search for an association of methylated cell-free DNA from plasma of late stage lung cancer patients and their therapy response. We prospectively collected blood samples in several participating hospitals in EDTA or PAXgene Blood ccfDNA Tubes. The quantity of methylated cell-free plasma DNA obtained in EDTA tubes and in PAXgene Blood ccfDNA Tubes were comparable. In contrast to EDTA tubes which were processed shortly after blood collection, the PAXgene Blood ccfDNA Tubes were stored/shipped at room temperature for up to 12 days before being processed. These results confirm the data obtained in our earlier studies and show that it is possible to store blood samples in PAXgene Blood ccfDNA Tubes for an extended period of time without loss of sensitivity.”
Dr. Michael Fleischhacker, DRK Kliniken Berlin, Germany
