Circulating cell-free DNA as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for non-small-cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Biomark Med. 2020 May;14(7):587-597. doi: 10.2217/bmm-2018-0093. Epub 2019 Dec 17.

Abstract

Aim: A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the application of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) screening, EGFR and KRAS mutation detection. Materials & methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted. The summary sensitivity and specificity for cfDNA in NSCLC diagnosis, EGFR and KRAS mutation detection were calculated. Results: The sensitivity and specificity for NSCLC diagnosis, EGFR and KRAS mutation detection were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.72-0.87) and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.68-0.91), 0.780 (95% CI: 0.711-0.853) and 0.962 (95% CI: 0.942-0.984), 0.628 (95% CI: 0.244-0.919) and 0.959 (95% CI: 0.932-0.998), respectively. Conclusion: cfDNA was a minimally invasive approach for NSCLC diagnosis, but its clinical utility warranted more future investigations because of the suboptimal sensitivity.

Keywords: EGFR; KRAS; NSCLC; circulating cell-free DNA; meta-analysis.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / blood*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics
  • Cell-Free Nucleic Acids / blood*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / blood*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prognosis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cell-Free Nucleic Acids