Circulating DNA: diagnostic tool and predictive marker for overall survival of NSCLC patients.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to determine whether the amounts of circulating DNA (cDNA) could discriminate between NSCLC patients and healthy individuals and assess its value as a prognostic marker of this disease.


METHODS
We conducted a study of 309 individuals and the cDNA levels were assessed through real-time PCR methodology.


RESULTS
We found increased cDNA levels in NSCLC patients compared to control individuals. We also found a decreased overall survival time in patients presenting high cDNA levels, when compared to lower cDNA concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Quantification of cDNA may be a good tool for NSCLC detection with potential for clinical applicability.
Molecular Oncology Group Investigation Center, Portuguese Institute of Oncology, Porto, Portugal. raquelcatarino@yahoo.com
Raquel
R
Catarino
Ana
A
Coelho
António
A
Araújo
Mónica
M
Gomes
Augusto
A
Nogueira
Carlos
C
Lopes
Rui
R
Medeiros
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011174:Portugal; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D004247:DNA; D019098:Telomerase