
Novel Assay Detects and Characterizes Even Microscopic Prostate Cancers
A novel test developed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center was able to detect and characterize even microscopic amounts of prostate cancers and could potentially help individualize treatment in the clinical setting.
A novel, nanotechnology-based scoring assay developed by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center was able to detect and characterize even microscopic amounts of prostate cancers, according to findings published in the journal
Prostate cancer is the most common
“This research will revolutionize the liquid biopsy in prostate cancer,”
The assay analyzes extracellular vesicles (EV), which are microscopic particles released by cells throughout the body. Posadas and his fellow investigators developed the novel EV Digital Scoring Assay (DSA) to isolate and analyze EVs quickly and accurately. The EV DSA was more efficient than ultracentrifugation and a commercial EV precipitation assay in isolating prostate-cancer–derived EVs.
Blood samples from 40 patients with prostate cancer were used to assess the EV DSA’s efficacy. The test was able to differentiate between localized prostate cancer and metastatic prostate cancer, even detecting micro-metastases that advanced imaging would not detect. In practice, the EV DSA could help more accurately determine the best treatment method for each patient.
“This would allow many patients to avoid the potential harms of radiation that isn’t targeting their disease, and instead receive systemic therapy that could slow disease progression,” Posadas said.
In addition to the overall efficacy study, researchers performed a retrospective analysis of blood samples taken over time from 3 patients with prostate cancer. The changes in mRNA signatures that the EV DSA identified were associated with clinical behavior over the course of treatment in these patients. One of the patients had received focused radiation treatments that were ineffective.
“At the time he was being treated, I was concerned that he was not benefiting,” Posadas said. “And the test results mirrored his clinical behavior and showed that, indeed, the treatments were not effective because he had micro-metastatic disease.”
Overall, the authors conclude that the EV DSA could potentially help personalize prostate cancer care, avoid unnecessary treatments, and hopefully improve outcomes.
“This type of liquid biopsy, coupled with innovations such as our
Reference
Wang JJ, Sun N, Lee YT, et al. Prostate cancer extracellular vesicle digital scoring assay - a rapid noninvasive approach for quantification of disease-relevant mRNAs. Nano Today. 2023;48:101746. doi:10.1016/j.nantod.2022.101746
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