Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39709717›Full record

ArticleTranslational oncology2025

Clinical characteristics of EGFR-ctDNA shedders in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients.

Martina Ruglioni, Iacopo Petrini, Stefania Crucitta, Andrea Sbrana, Giovanna Irene Luculli, Leila Sadeghi Gol, Carola Forte, Antonio Chella, Christian Rolfo, Romano Danesi and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Translational oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Martina RuglioniUnit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
Iacopo PetriniUnit of Pneumology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Stefania CrucittaUnit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
Andrea SbranaUnit of Pneumology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Giovanna Irene LuculliUnit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
Leila Sadeghi GolUnit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
Carola ForteUnit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
Antonio ChellaUnit of Pneumology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Christian RolfoDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, The Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
Romano DanesiDepartment of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Italy. Electronic address: romano.danesi@unimi.it.
Marzia Del ReSaint Camillus International University of Medical and Health Sciences, Rome, Italy; Direzione Scientifica Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCirculating tumor DNA (ctDNA) revolutionized the molecular diagnostics of lung cancer by enabling non-invasive, sensitive identification of actionable mutations. However, ctDNA analysis may be challenging due to tumor shedding variability, leading to false negative results. This study aims to understand the determinants for ctDNA shedding based on clinical characteristics of lung cancer patients, for a better interpretation of false negative results to be considered when ordering ctDNA analysis for clinical practice.

methodsBlood samples were collected from patients with stage IV EGFR-mutated (mEGFR) NSCLC before treatment and monitored until disease progression. EGFR was assessed on tissue by standard procedures, while EGFR status on ctDNA was tested using dPCR at baseline and at the first reassessment. NGS was used to evaluate patients mutational status at the progression of the disease.

resultsA total of 40 mEGFR tissue samples were collected. Plasma samples were analyzed for mEGFR before starting the first line, 65 % of patients had detectable mEGFR in ctDNA ("shedders"). Higher ECOG PS (p = 0.04), bilateral localization of primary tumor (p = 0.04), and the presence of intrathoracic/extrathoracic disease (p = 0.05), were associated to mEGFR shedding. Shedders had shorter PFS compared to non-shedders (p = 0.03). Patients with detectable mEGFR in ctDNA at the first radiological assessment exhibited worse PFS compared to patients with ctDNA clearance (p = 0.05).

conclusionOur preliminary data demonstrate that specific clinical characteristics predict mEGFR shedding in ctDNA of NSCLC, suggesting a potential clinical applicability for understanding potential false negative results and appropriate reporting in clinical practice.

Indexed as

Circulating-tumor DNAmEGFRNSCLCPredictive biomarkersTumor shedding

Identifiers

PMID39709717
PMCPMC11832947

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.