MONITORING THERAPY

Predict Treatment Response in ~30 days

When a patient undergoes a new therapy, it is important to learn quickly whether or not the patient is responding to the treatment. If the patient is not responding, the oncologist can prescribe a different treatment, so the patient doesn’t lose precious time. Imaging is typically used to determine disease progression, but imaging requires the tumor to grow bigger to be detected. LifeTracDx® can predict treatment response in 30 days.

 

A baseline blood sample is taken before therapy.  A second blood sample is taken about 30 days after the therapy.  The response to therapy is determined by comparing the results of the two samples:

  • Not working: Any CTCs detected in the second sample

  • Not working: CAML size  or number increased in the second sample

  • Some benefit from therapy: CAML size  or number decreased in the second sample

  • Ideal case:  no CAML or CTC in the second sample

Sequential Monitoring of Therapy

Sequential monitoring of therapy is recommended, because tumors change. This is especially important when the drug is targeting a specific marker.

Case Study:

  • Patient was initially on Pazopanib, which targets pan-VEGFR. Initially, the expression of pan-VEGFR was high, but it decreased over time. Patient’s cancer progressed as indicated by an increase in CAML size.

  • At the same time, the expression of PD-L1 became high.  The therapy was switched to Atezolizumab, an immunotherapy drug.  The patient’s CAML size decreased following the therapy.

  • This patient sample was processed analyzing three companion diagnostic markers.