Evaluating the Predictive and Prognostic Power of the Early Breast canceR gEnetic and Epigenetic Abnormalities Through Liquid biopSy and neTwOrk MEdicine Algorithm: the BR(E)2ASTOME Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial

The BR(E)2ASTOME study will be performed at the U.O.C. Patologia Molecolare e Clinica, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples (Italy) with a long-standing experience in diagnosis and treatment of BC (Refs.). From each study participant, total of 10 mL of pheripheral blood in EDTA tubes will be collected at time of BC diagnosis. Blood-based assays will be performed to obtain genetic and/or epigenetic big data from ct-DNA and gDNA, respectively. A network-oriented algorithm combined with patient-level clinical information will be applied to big data in order to identify clusters of genes (BC-modules) harboring novel genetic mutations, in the NGS-ctDNA BC-group, and differentially methylated regions (DMRs), in the RRBS-gDNA group, with a potential predictive and prognostic role in BC management. In the NGS-ctDNA-RRBS-gDNA group, we will evaluate whether the multi-omics approach is more informative as compared to the single-omic paradigm.

BC patients (males and females) will be randomized to the 2 study arms: ctDNA-NGS + gDNA-RRBS, and standard of care alone. No modifications of intervention assignment will be possible after randomization process of patients. The BR(E)2ASTOME study will provide evidence about the potential clinical utility of early use liquid-based assays and network-oriented biomarkers in prognosis and prediction of drug response in BC management.

Thus, results from BR(E)2ASTOME study will bring to identify not only new molecular mechanisms associated with BC, but also non-invasive biomarkers that can direct towards an early diagnosis, contribute to monitor the cancer progression and the response to therapeutic treatment.