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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. Today, 10-15% of patients fail first-line therapy – others risk of being overtreated, underscoring the need to better recognize HL diversity.

Given the technical challenge of purifying the low abundant, malignant Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells from biopsies, 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 informative on genomic imbalances in HRS cells, we will optimize techniques and pipelines and investigate genomic imbalances and gene mutations in a large prospective series of HL. We will focus on genes known to be mutated in HL and genomic or mutational patterns will be correlated with clinicopathological data. The potential of ccfDNA to monitor disease noninvasively will be explored, opening perspectives for a more personalized therapeutic approach to HL.

Date:1 Jan 2017 →  31 Dec 2020
Keywords:Cancer genetics, Genomic imbalances, Hodgkin cells, Reed-Sternberg cells, Hodgkin Lymphoma, Circulating cell-free DNA
Disciplines:Morphological sciences, Oncology