Safety and Suitability of DNA Sequencing in Cancer Biopsies
Author Information
Author(s): Angela Esposito, Edoardo Crimini, Carmen Criscitiello, Carmen Belli, Roberta Scafetta, Raimondo Scalia, Grazia Castellano, Elisa Giordano, Jalissa Katrini, Liliana Ascione, Luca Boscolo Bielo, Matteo Repetto, Antonio Marra, Dario Trapani, Gianluca Maria Varano, Daniele Maiettini, Paolo Della Vigna, Franco Orsi, Rocco Elena Guerini, Nicola Fusco, Giuseppe Curigliano
Primary Institution: European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS
Hypothesis
The study aims to assess the safety and adequacy of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for research tissue biopsies in cancer patients.
Conclusion
The study found that biopsies for NGS testing were generally safe, with a low complication rate and a high success rate for obtaining adequate samples.
Supporting Evidence
- 355 out of 731 patients underwent protocol-mandated biopsies.
- Histological diagnosis was achieved in 98% of patients.
- NGS testing was successfully conducted in 88.4% of cases.
- Only 4.8% of patients experienced mild adverse events.
- NGS failure rates varied significantly based on the specific tests attempted.
Takeaway
Doctors took tissue samples from cancer patients to test for DNA changes, and most patients were safe with only a few having minor problems.
Methodology
A retrospective review of electronic medical records of patients who underwent biopsies for research purposes from January 2014 to December 2022.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the retrospective nature of the study and reliance on medical records.
Limitations
The study did not provide information on the results of analyses for 168 patients, which may affect the overall assessment of NGS adequacy.
Participant Demographics
The median age of participants was 56 years, with 79% female and the most common tumor type being breast cancer.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.004
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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