Evaluating Heterogeneity and Response to Treatment in Melanoma using Circulating Tumor Cells
Abstract
Melanoma is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality amongst Americans, particularly when metastatic. Although there are several new molecularly-based treatments, not all patients may be candidates due to lack of mutant genotype, and resistance often develops. The molecular events that lead to resistance are not completely understood. There is a need for minimally invasive means to obtain tumor information to overcome these knowledge gaps. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cells that break away from either the primary tumor or metastatic sites. However, genome and transcriptome wide analyses of CTCs have been hampered by low purity and prolonged capture time. My mentors and I have developed and tested a CTC capture technology, Vortex Chip, which allows rapid isolation of highly purified CTCs. However, the profiles of sensitivity or resistance to PD-1 inhibition are largely unknown, particularly as the tumor may evolve in response to treatment. These studies will also help us better understand the molecular basis of sensitivity or resistance to PD-1 inhibitors, which will help to provide new scientific insights into the pathogenesis of advanced melanoma and provide ideas of novel approaches that can be used to treat such tumors. They will also facilitate a more personalized approach to cancer treatment by enabling repeatable, minimally invasive, and longitudinal genetic analyses during the course of the treatment of melanoma.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1063020
Entities
People
- Rajan P Kulkarni