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Project

Circulating cell-free DNA: a novel gateway to the genome of Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) accounts for 11-30 % of all lymphomas and is the most common lymphoid neoplasm in adolescents and young adults. The low abundance of Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells, the malignant cells in this disease, hampers the elucidation of its pathogenesis. Today, 10-15% of patients will fail first-line therapy and a similar fraction is likely to be overtreated, underscoring the need to better recognize the diversity of HL. This study aims to explore the genome of HRS cells by analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA). Having recently provided proof-of-principle that ccfDNA is –unexpectedly- informative on genomic imbalances in HRS cells, we plan to optimize techniques and pipelines and to investigate the patterns of genomic imbalances and gene mutations in a large prospective series representing the whole spectrum of HL. We will focus on genes or pathways known to be mutated in HL (e.g. regulators of the NFkB and STAT5/JAK2 pathways and apoptosis), and in lymphoid malignancies in general, and genomic or mutational patterns will be correlated with the clinicopathological data. The potential of ccfDNA as a tool to monitor disease non-invasively will be explored. This project will shed new light on the genetic landscape of HL and open perspectives for a more personalized therapeutic approach to this disease.

Date:1 Jan 2016 →  31 Dec 2019
Keywords:Reed-Sternberg cells, Hodgkin, DNA, cell-free, Circulating, Hodgkin Lymphoma
Disciplines:Morphological sciences, Oncology