ccfDNA to monitor the biological course of thymic epithelial tumors

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) which are rare and show highly heterogeneous behavior. No biomarkers exist that allow monitoring of these tumors. Margaret Ottaviano, MD, Ospedale del Mare, Naples, Italy, shares the details of a study aiming to address this knowledge gap by investigating circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) in patients with TETs. Blood samples were obtained from patients with advanced TETs prior to systemic therapy and compared to samples from 10 healthy donors. Results showed that ccfDNA levels were significantly elevated in TET patients compared to controls. Levels of ccfDNA were higher in those with metastatic disease but no correlation was seen with disease stage or overall tumor burden. This interview took place during the IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) virtual meeting 2021.