Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42228147›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer research and clinical oncology2026

Investigation of a methylated BCAT1 and IKZF1 circulating tumour DNA blood test for monitoring treatment response in patients with colorectal cancer.

Rafha Rafeeu, Erin L Symonds, Michael Z Michael, Kathryn Cornthwaite, Susanne K Pedersen, Renee J Smith, Graeme P Young, Jean M Winter

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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Rafha RafeeuFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia. rafha.rafeeu@flinders.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-4082-9352
Erin L SymondsFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2451-0358
Michael Z MichaelFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5954-7105
Kathryn CornthwaiteFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5484-3052
Susanne K PedersenFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5518-1959
Renee J SmithFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2445-0850
Graeme P YoungFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9458-8383
Jean M WinterFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2041-8602

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeColorectal cancer (CRC) treatment failure results in high mortality. The current CRC treatment response monitoring blood biomarker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) lacks specificity. Methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) indicates CRC, but its utility during therapy is uncertain. This study examined whether during-treatment measurement of BCAT1/IKZF1 ctDNA reflects CRC treatment efficacy.

methodsPlasma was collected from CRC patients before and during chemotherapy, targeted therapy and/or radiotherapy. Cell-free DNA was extracted, bisulphite-converted and assayed via multiplex qPCR for BCAT1/IKZF1 methylation (%pg/ACTB). Patients with detectable ctDNA pre-treatment were included. CEA was measured via chemiluminescent immunoassay. Radiological treatment response assessments were performed ± 3 months of blood collection or < 8 months post-treatment. Biomarker levels were compared using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

results56 samples from 29 patients (64.3% male, median age 55 years) were analysed. Patients with residual cancer had higher ctDNA levels (median 0.036%, IQR 0-1.17%) than cancer-free patients (0%, IQR 0-0.005%; p < 0.05). There were no significant differences for CEA. When normalised to pre-treatment measurements, treatment-responders demonstrated a median 100% ctDNA reduction from baseline (IQR - 100% to - 7.53%), which was greater than non-responders (0.13% reduction, IQR - 38.1% to + 0.03%; p < 0.001). Responders also demonstrated greater CEA reduction (median - 1.50 ng/mL, IQR - 6.28 to 0.18 ng/mL) compared to non-responders (median 2.3 ng/mL, IQR - 0.50 to 17.7 ng/mL; p = 0.001).

conclusionsMethylated BCAT1/IKZF1 ctDNA reflects treatment response, offering a tool for personalised treatment.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorCirculating Tumor DNAColorectal NeoplasmsDNA MethylationIkaros Transcription FactorTransaminasesAdultAgedCarcinoembryonic AntigenFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeBCAT1 protein, humanBiomarkers, TumorCarcinoembryonic AntigenCirculating Tumor DNAIkaros Transcription FactorIKZF1 protein, humanTransaminasesLiquid biopsyNon-invasive biomarkersPersonalised treatment monitoring

Identifiers

PMID42228147
PMCPMC13442765

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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.