Plasma circulating tumor DNA in pancreatic adenocarcinoma for screening, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and follow-up: A systematic review

Abstract

While no biomarker is currently recommended for the management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) seems promising but little is known on how it may help to manage our patients in the near future. This systematic review of literature was designed to explore the current knowledge on ctDNA as a screening, diagnostic, prognostic, predictive and theranostic biomarker in the management of PA. We retrieved 62 full-text articles, 3 meta-analyses, 2 clinical trials, 1 abstract and 13 ongoing trials. Results were categorized into sections about screening, diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up of localized and advanced PA together with possible theranostics applications. Although its specificity is excellent, the current sensitivity of ctDNA remains a limitation especially in patients without metastatic disease. Therefore, this biomarker cannot be currently used as a screening or diagnostic tool. Increasing evidence suggests that ctDNA is a relevant candidate biomarker to assess minimal residual disease after radical surgery, but also a strong independent biomarker linked to a poor prognosis in advanced PA. Some recent data also indicates that ctDNA is an attractive biomarker for longitudinal follow-up and possibly early treatment adaptation. Its role in tumor profiling in advanced disease to decide targeted treatments remains to be explored. Altogether, ctDNA appears to be a reliable prognostic tool. Though promising results have been reported, further studies are still needed to define exactly how ctDNA can help physicians in the screening, diagnosis and treatment, as PA is expected to become a major cause of cancer-related deaths in the forthcoming decade.

Keywords: Circulating tumor DNA; Diagnosis; Pancreatic adenocarcinoma; Prognosis; Screening; Treatment monitoring.