Tumour-informed ctDNA assay to predict recurrences in advanced SCCHN

Despite multimodal treatment, still about 50% of patients with locally advanced (LA) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) will suffer a disease recurrence. During ESMO 2024, Dr Natasha Honoré (Cliniques Universitaires St.-Luc, Brussels) presented the results of a study evaluating the potential of ctDNA to predict recurrences in these patients. To this end, a tumour-informed, 16-plex PCR-NGS assay (Signatera™, Natera, Inc.) was used for the detection of ctDNA in plasma samples from patients with clinical stage III-IVB SCCHN collected before the start of the treatment and within 12 weeks from the completion of curative intent therapy.

In total, a personalized ctDNA assay was successfully designed for 43 of the 50 patients in the study. Interestingly, ctDNA-positivity within 12 weeks of completing curative intent treatment proved to be predictive for a significantly worse recurrence-free (HR[95%CI]: 5.64[1.39-22.9]; p= 0.016) and OS (HR[95%CI]: 6.38[1.16-35.2]; p= 0.034). As such, these results warrant further prospective studies with larger cohorts to evaluate the prognostic and predictive value of this tumour-informed ctDNA assay during surveillance in patients with SCCHN.