Overview
Molecular analysis identifies residual disease by overcoming the sensitivity of imaging methods and therefore has the potential for integrating with therapy provided by FDG-PET alone. It is a well known fact that tumor DNA circulating in plasma (ctDNA) reflects the mutational profile of tumor cells and can be used to non-invasively detect specific mutations of Hodgkin's lymphoma without the need for microdissecting the histological sample.
Description
A clinical need, not yet met for the Hodgkin lymphoma disease, brings about the early and accurate identification of chemo-refractory patients who require stepping up of treatment as also, patients with good prognosis receiving treatment de-escalation.Molecular methods identify residual disease by overcoming the sensitivity of imaging methods and therefore have the potential to integrate the response to therapy provided by FDG-PET alone.
ctDNA modification from the basal time point to the interim can be used as a predictor of response to the ABVD scheme and as a complement to the interim-PET in the possible variation of the therapeutic schedule.
Clinical data and peripheral blood samples (20 ml in EDTA tubes and 20 ml in Cell-Free DNA BCT tubes) will be collected during the clinico/laboratory visits that are planned as per clinical routine at the time of diagnosis, at each cycle of chemotherapy, at the time of interim PET/CT, at the time of end of treatment PET/CT and during follow up.