Liquid biopsy using cfDNA to predict radiation therapy response in solid tumors

Purpose@#This study explored the potential feasibility of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in monitoring treatment response through the measurement of chromosomal instabilities using I-scores in the context of radiation therapy (RT) for other solid tumors. @*Materials and Methods@#This study enrolled 23 patients treated with RT for lung, esophageal, and head and neck cancer. Serial cfDNA monitoring was performed before RT, 1 week after RT, and 1 month after RT. Low-depth whole-genome sequencing was done using Nano kit and NextSeq 500 (Illumina Inc.). To measure the extent of genome-wide copy number instability, I-score was calculated. @*Results@#Pretreatment I-score was elevated to more than 5.09 in 17 patients (73.9%). There was a significant positive correlation between the gross tumor volume and the baseline I-score (Spearman rho = 0.419, p = 0.047). The median I-scores at baseline, post-RT 1 week (P1W), and post-RT 1 month (P1M) were 5.27, 5.13, and 4.79, respectively. The I-score at P1M was significantly lower than that at baseline (p = 0.002), while the difference between baseline and P1W was not significant (p = 0.244). @*Conclusion@#We have shown the feasibility of cfDNA I-score to detect minimal residual disease after RT in patients with lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and head and neck cancer. Additional studies are ongoing to optimize the measurement and analysis of I-scores to predict the radiation response in cancer patients.

A Case of Acute eosinophilic pneumonia / 대한내과학회지

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is reported as a specific disease entity. But, it is different from chronic eosinophilic pneumonia in its onset, clinical course and recurrence. Badesh et al reported the following diagnostic criteria os acute eosinophilic pneumonia a less than one-month history of symptoms prior to diagnosis, no evidence of asthma, the absence of other organic disease, no obvious etiology and an evidence of recurrent disease. We experienced a case of acute eosinophilic pneumonia in 37 old male. Pathologically eosinophilic pneumonia is confirmed and other features meet Badesh's criteria.