Multi-analyte liquid biopsy to monitor tumor genomic evolution and therapy response in advanced Prostate Cancer

Metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) is a lethal disease. Androgen deprivation therapy is the mainstay of patient care. In addition, DNA repair defects is a novel therapeutic target in mPC. However, resistances invariably arise, triggered most of the times by tumor genomic evolution. Liquid biopsy has emerged as a tool to non-invasively profile tumor genomics over time.

Beyond circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTC), small extracellular vesicles, known as exosomes, have been identified to contain tumor genomic material.

Over the last years, I have developed a method to pursue analysis of tumor genomic material from exosomes at a very low cost.

The analysis of exoDNA/RNA is a promising tool that represents a new non-invasive, sensitive and very informative new method for PC monitoring.

In this project, I aim to integrate the genomic analysis of exoDNA/RNA together with ctDNA and CTCs in advanced PC to:1) Identify prognostic signatures for clinically-relevant patient stratification; 2) Define circulating predictive signatures of drug response/resistance; and 3) Validate biomarkers of therapy response for selection of subsequent lines of treatment.Therefore, this fellowship would allow me to take a significant step towards the implementation of this new technology in the study of mPC genomics and mechanisms of response/resistance to novel targeted drugs.

Furthermore, I will be able to integrate my research into clinical trials and, ultimately, impact personalized patient care.