Angle PLC Unveils Study on Ovarian Cancer CTCs via Parsortix

A recent study has utilized the Parsortix® system to evaluate markers in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from metastatic ovarian cancer patients, aiming to predict progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer progression. This study, representing an ancillary project of the European GANNET53 Phase II clinical trial, encompassed 123 participants over two and a half years, with 474 blood samples collected and analyzed.

The research, conducted by the Medical University of Vienna, examined CTCs harvested by the Parsortix system at various points from baseline through treatment until disease progression. Employing qPCR molecular analysis, researchers focused on 27 gene transcripts within these CTCs. Two significant markers emerged as potential prognostic indicators: ERCC1 and ESR1. The ERCC1 gene, linked to DNA damage response, correlated with a higher risk of disease progression and poorer patient outcomes. Conversely, the ESR1 gene, encoding oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα), signaled a reduced risk of progression.

Notably, the study found that the presence of ESR1 transcripts and the absence of ERCC1 transcripts in CTCs at baseline and during treatment could predict improved PFS. On the other hand, the presence of ERCC1 and absence of ESR1 indicated a substantially higher risk of cancer progression, with an odds ratio of 12.77. This suggests that analyzing these biomarkers can provide an early glimpse into PFS ahead of final clinical trial outcomes and underscores the value of CTC characterization in pharmaceutical trials.

The authors of the study concluded that molecular characterization of CTCs, both pre-treatment and during therapy, holds promise for monitoring ovarian cancer patients and offering deeper insights into the disease's biology. This is crucial, given ovarian cancer's challenging nature and the high relapse rate post-initial treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy. In 2022 alone, ovarian cancer accounted for over 320,000 new cases and more than 200,000 deaths worldwide, often being diagnosed at an advanced stage.

The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer, highlighting the potential utility of the Parsortix system in ongoing cancer treatment and trials. Karen Miller, ANGLE’s Chief Scientific Officer, emphasized the significance of the study's scale and its demonstrations of how the Parsortix system could enable pharmaceutical companies to understand patient responses to drugs earlier in the treatment process.

The study reinforces the Parsortix system's role in enhancing the monitoring and analysis of CTCs, contributing to more effective management and understanding of ovarian cancer. This novel approach of leveraging gene markers in CTCs could pave the way for more personalized and timely interventions in treating this aggressive cancer type.