On December 8, 2021 Epic Sciences, Inc. (Epic)’s comprehensive liquid-biopsy platform reported that continues to deliver compelling cancer profiling information as data presented during the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2021 demonstrate (Press release, Epic Sciences, DEC 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234596626]).
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"These findings represent just some of the useful information novel liquid biopsies can provide" says Dr. Joyce O’Shaughnessy, Celebrating Women Chair of Breast Cancer Research, Baylor University Medical Center and Chair of Breast Cancer Program, Texas Oncology and the US Oncology Network. "Once patients begin treatment for metastatic disease, the cancer remodels itself to evade therapy, and it is difficult to assess the molecular changes that enable this process. New targeted therapies are driving heterogeneous resistance mechanisms, and insights from liquid biopsies analyzing circulating tumor cells can help oncologists decide when to change therapy, and how to sequence therapies."
Since 2018, the Epic platform has been providing clinically validated predictive information about selective hormone therapy resistance for patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Top academic and pharmaceutical research teams have leveraged the Epic platform to track drug target engagement, monitor response to treatment protocols, and select or stratify patients based on cell characterization.
"Epic’s comprehensive liquid-biopsy platform is uniquely suited to elucidate metastatic breast cancer biology", says Dr. Richard Wenstrup, Chief Medical Officer, Epic Sciences, Inc. "Frequent tissue biopsies from metastatic patients are usually not medically practical, but it is critical to obtain information about the current state of the patient’s disease. Genome-based liquid-biopsy options address a small part of this challenge, but it is the cell-based liquid biopsy analysis that completes the picture.
It has previously been shown that certain types of cell-based morphology confer poor prognosis for metastatic prostate cancer patients, and this data now confirms similar results for metastatic breast cancer patients. This cell imaging analysis identified heterogeneous disease and specific morphological phenotypes that predict for shortened survival.
"This is one of several of Epic’s collaborative studies that will produce new insights about metastatic breast cancer from the blood. Look for our forthcoming announcement about new breast-cancer offerings in our clinical lab and for our research partners," adds Lloyd Sanders, President and CEO, Epic Sciences.
Poster P2-02-03 Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), CTC heterogeneity and distinct morphological CTC phenotypes predict worse survival in metastatic breast cancer (MBC)