Digital PCR (dPCR) is a highly accurate method to determine DNA concentration. In dPCR, DNA is portioned into many discrete single entities, and these are analyzed individually for the presence or absence of a target molecule of interest. Here we describe how digital PCR can be employed to determine the presence of oncogenic amplification through noninvasive analysis of circulating free DNA (cfDNA), and exemplify this approach by developing a plasma circulating free DNA dPCR assay for HER2 copy number.
Keywords: Breast cancer; Circulating free DNA; Digital PCR; HER2; Plasma.