Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40170158›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2025

Prognostic potential of fusion gene analysis using plasma cell-free RNA in malignant bone and soft tissue tumours.

Naoki Furukawa, Nobuhiko Hasegawa, Daisuke Kubota, Yasuhiro Nakamura, Hirokazu Tanaka, Shintaro Iwata, Akira Kawai, Tsuyoshi Saito, Tatsuya Takagi, Shinji Kohsaka and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 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.

Naoki FurukawaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
Nobuhiko HasegawaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan. n-hasegawa@juntendo.ac.jp.
Daisuke KubotaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
Yasuhiro NakamuraDepartment of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
Hirokazu TanakaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
Shintaro IwataDepartment of Musculoskeletal Oncology and Rehabilitation Medicine, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Akira KawaiDepartment of Musculoskeletal Oncology and Rehabilitation Medicine, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Tsuyoshi SaitoDepartment of Human Pathology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Tatsuya TakagiDepartment of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
Shinji KohsakaDivision of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Muneaki IshijimaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLiquid biopsy, which facilitates minimally invasive analysis of body fluid samples, has considerable potential as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in various cancers. Analysis of circulating tumour cells, circulating tumour DNA, and exosomes in liquid biopsies has advantages and disadvantages. However, their utility in rare cancers, such as malignant bone and soft tissue tumours, remains unknown. In this study, we examined the levels of circulating cell-free tumour RNA (cfRNA) in the blood of patients with malignant bone and soft tissue tumours harbouring specific fusion genes, to explore the relationship between fusion gene expression in the blood and therapeutic response and disease status, and to validate the clinical utility of liquid biopsy.

methodsThe study involved 3 cases (7 samples) of Ewing's sarcoma, 6 cases (12 samples) of myxoid liposarcoma, and 1 case (2 samples) of synovial sarcoma with specific fusion genes. Fusion gene analysis was performed using tumour tissue samples to identify breakpoints. Primers for liquid biopsy were designed based on the fusion genes identified. cfRNA was extracted from each patient's plasma and used for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with the designed primers. The RT-PCR product was subjected to Sanger sequencing.

resultsFusion gene breakpoints were identified in 10 samples from 6 cases. The fusion gene detection rate in the blood was 100% at both naïve status and symptom exacerbation in patients with Stage IV disease. In patients with Stage III disease progressing to Stage IV, the fusion gene was detected in the blood prior to imaging tests.

conclusionsThe detection of specific fusion genes from cfRNAs shows potential for monitoring the progression of fusion-related sarcomas in the context of chemotherapy.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorBone NeoplasmsCell-Free Nucleic AcidsLiposarcoma, MyxoidOncogene Proteins, FusionSarcoma, EwingSoft Tissue NeoplasmsAdolescentAdultAgedChildFemaleHumansLiquid BiopsyMaleMiddle AgedBiomarkers, TumorCell-Free Nucleic AcidsOncogene Proteins, FusionCell-free RNAFusion geneLiquid biopsyMalignant bone and soft tissue tumour

Identifiers

PMID40170158
PMCPMC11963259

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Registered trials

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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.