Liquid Biopsy Test Identifies Androgen Receptor Protein Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells in Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Epic Sciences along with researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDA) have recently published their findings on androgen receptor (AR) protein expression in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with metastatic breast cancer in PLOS One.  The publication, the most comprehensive today in characterizing the AR protein in CTCs of patients with breast cancer, identifies subclonal heterogeneity of AR protein.  

In recent clinical trials, AR signaling inhibitors, Zytiga® and Xtandi®, approved in metastatic prostate cancer, have demonstrated potential benefits in a portion of women with metastatic breast cancer.  However, current tools to identify patients who may benefit from AR signaling inhibitors are invasive and suffer from accuracy errors in predicting patient response.

In addition to profiling CTCs for AR, estrogen receptor and HER2 biomarkers were also characterized.  Protein biomarker heterogeneity was observed in many patients.  To support the hypothesis of tumor heterogeneity, single cell genomic profiling identified genomic heterogeneity associated with the protein heterogeneity which has been identified as a resistance marker in cancer. 

"Subclonal AR protein expression could both identify patients who may resist targeted therapy and at the same time, explain partial response to AR signaling inhibition," said Ryan Dittamore, chief of medical innovation at Epic Sciences and co-author on the study.  "With our academic and biopharma partners, we are expanding our understanding of tumor heterogeneity in metastatic breast cancer to improve tools for patient selection to improve patient survival."

This study, led by Naoto T. Ueno, M.D., Ph.D., executive director at The University of Texas MDA Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic, utilized Epic Sciences non-biased enrichment free platform to characterize CTCs in blood samples.  The Epic Sciences platform is currently utilized in more than 175 clinical studies in 12 different cancers.  

About Epic Sciences

Epic Sciences, Inc. is developing novel diagnostics to personalize and advance the treatment and management of cancer. Epic Sciences' mission is to enable the rapid and non-invasive detection of genetic and molecular changes in cancer throughout a patient's journey. The company was founded on a powerful platform to identify and characterize rare cells, including circulating tumor cells. Epic Sciences No Cell Left Behind® technology helps match patients to therapies and monitor for drug resistance, so that the best treatment path can be chosen at every clinical decision point. Epic Sciences has partnered with Genomic Health to commercialize the Oncotype DX® AR-V7 Nucleus Detect™test, which helps with therapeutic decisions between taxane chemotherapy or androgen-directed therapeutics in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Today, we partner with leading pharmaceutical companies and major cancer centers around the world. Epic Sciences' goal is to increase the success rate of cancer drugs in clinical trials and improve patient outcomes by providing physicians real-time information to guide treatment choices. Epic Sciences is headquartered in San Diego.

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