We have developed highly sensitive methods for detection of ctDNA, which we will pursue in the present study. Using these methods, we have recently demonstrated that monthly ctDNA measurements can reveal treatment response and disease progression earlier than conventional radiological imaging in a large group of patients. These findings have been published in Clinical Cancer Research and have received attention in national news channels.
We will further investigate the utility of ctDNA detection in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, particularly the potential to monitor treatment effect from chemotherapy.
In collaboration with other research groups we will also investigate whether ctDNA detection can provide similar information in a trial of sonoporation-enhanced chemotherapy.
Finally, we will assess the prognostic information of ctDNA detection in patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer. In collaboration with work package “Medical genetics” we shall contribute to the new PREPAIRD study, in which we shall investigate whether ctDNA can be used for early detection of pancreatic cancer in individuals with a high hereditary risk for developing the disease.
Collaborators
- Odd Helge Gilja, UiB
- Anders Molven (work package «Animal models»), UiB
- Elin Kure (work package «Molecular characterization of tumour tissue and liquid biopsies”), OUH
- Eli Grindedal (work package “Medical genetics”), OUH
- Trygve Eftestøl, UiS
- Bjørnar Gilje, SUS