In a study conducted by a research group led by our chairman and Chief of Division of Gastroenterology at National Cancer Center East Hospital, Takayuki Yoshino, it was shown for the first time in the world that a test to detect genomic abnormalities in cancer using patients' blood (liquid biopsy) was incorporated into the screening of clinical trials, resulting in more rapid return of test results and enrollment of more patients in clinical trials compared to conventional tumor tissue tests. This research group is called "SCRUM-Japan," a national cancer genome screening project in collaboration with industry and academia, and this study was conducted through GI-SCREEN-Japan and the GOZILA Study.
In this study, we compared the genomic analysis results of GI-SCREEN-Japan (Tumor Tissue Examination), a cancer genome screening project using tumor tissues for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer, and the results of the GOZILA Study (Liquid Biopsy), a liquid biopsy study, in terms of the time required for the results to be determined, the percentage of patients enrolled in the corresponding clinical trials, and their effects. As a result, it was found that the results of liquid biopsy were revealed approximately 22 days earlier than those of tumor histology, and the percentage of patients enrolled in clinical trials for corresponding therapeutic drugs increased based on the genomic analysis results. The results of this research will be published in the online edition of the American scientific journal Nature Medicine on October 5, 2020 (October 6, 2020 Japan time).
GI-SCREEN-Japan is a nationwide cancer genome screening project that analyzes tumor tissues of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer by gene panel test (Oncomine Comprehensive Assay) and delivers therapeutic drugs in collaboration with major oncology hospitals and university hospitals in Japan. In addition, from January 2018, utilizing the infrastructure of GI-SCREEN-Japan, the GOZILA Study, a screening project in which blood of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer is analyzed by liquid biopsy (Guardant360®, Guardant AMEA Inc.), will be launched in collaboration with The GOZILA Study, a screening project in which blood samples from patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers are analyzed by liquid biopsy (Guardant360®, Guardant AMEA Inc.), was conducted in collaboration with Guardant Health, Inc. The results showed for the first time in the world that the test results were returned more quickly than conventional tumor tissue tests, and more patients were enrolled in the clinical trial.
With the results of this study, it is expected that liquid biopsy will be used as a screening test in more clinical trials, thereby providing the best possible medical care to more patients. In addition, the discovery of new driver gene abnormalities may stimulate the development of therapies for driver gene abnormalities that have not been started so far. The GOZILA Study has already led to several physician-led clinical trials based on the results of liquid biopsy. The research group will continue to work toward the realization of cancer genomic medicine using liquid biopsy so that as many patients as possible can receive the best possible treatment.
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Nature Medicine
Article published in Nature Medicine
Press release on this case from the National Cancer Center
Press release from the National Institute for Medical Research and Development (AMED)
Press release on this case from Guardant Health, Inc.
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