Prospective Feasibility Study of Cell Free Circulating Tumor DNA for the Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring in Early-stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

During evolution of primary tumor, tumor cells can be released into the bloodstream. It has also been shown that circulating cell-free tumor DNA (cfDNA) is released from apoptotic or necrotic tumor cells. In a study of cfDNA level after surgery in colon cancer patients, they suggested that cfDNA could detect recurrence of cancer several months earlier than the conventional follow up studies. Following several reports have suggested that cfDNA can invade host cells and alter host cell biology to cause cancer metastasis.

In this regard, we will collect from non-small cell lung cancer patients cohort who underwent curative resection, and will evaluate whether peripheral cfDNA can aid early detection of cancer recurrence. We will also study the genomic signature of cfDNA to assess the relationship between cfDNA and clinical outcome of non-small cell lung cancer patients.