It has been shown that malignant tumors release small amounts of their DNA to the bloodstream (free circulating cell-free tumor DNA - "ctDNA") that will contain mutations characteristic of the patient's cancer disease. We believe that ctDNA analyzes can provide an equally good and perhaps better overview of the mutation spectrum of tumors than what is often achieved by taking tumor tissue biopsies. In addition, it is often difficult to obtain tissue samples from lung tumors, and it may also put the patient at risk.

We investigate whether ctDNA analyzes are correlated to disease activity, extent of disease, prognosis, effect of cancer treatment and risk of relapse in patients with lung cancer. The amount of ctDNA in blood is very small relative to the amount of normal DNA, and the challenge is to establish methods that are sensitive enough to specifically target ctDNA. As of today, we use "high-throughput sequencing" and digital droplet PCR.

One focus of our research is to explore whether ctDNA analyzes can be used to identify those patients who can be cured from surgery or radiation therapy and who should be offered additional therapy. Another central theme is to investigate whether ctDNA analyzes can be used to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors in patients who are diagnosed with small, unspecific tumors/lesions in their lungs. Today, these patients are in need of extensive follow-up that is often stressful and may cause anxiety – and which is very resource demanding.

The project is a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers and clinicians from various disciplines involved in the exploration and diagnostics of lung cancer (pathology, molecular biology, oncology, lung medicine, radiology). The research group cooperates closely with other Norwegian and Nordic research groups through the Norwegian Lung Cancer Group (NLCG).

Similar information: Research group on Cancer and Palliative Care