Emergence of RAS mutations in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer receiving cetuximab-based treatment: a study protocol

Shang-Hung Chen, Hsiang-Lin Tsai, Jeng-Kai Jiang, Yung-Chuan Sung, Ching-Wen Huang, Yu-Min Yeh, Li-Tzong Chen, Jaw-Yuan Wang, Shang-Hung Chen, Hsiang-Lin Tsai, Jeng-Kai Jiang, Yung-Chuan Sung, Ching-Wen Huang, Yu-Min Yeh, Li-Tzong Chen, Jaw-Yuan Wang

Abstract

Background: In the management of patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapies have demonstrated a clinical benefit, with longer survival. However, the correlation between the emergence of circulating RAS mutations and secondary resistance to anti-EGFR therapies requires further elucidation. In this study, we aim to examine evolutionary changes in RAS mutations through liquid biopsy in patients with mCRC during and after anti-EGFR therapy.

Methods: A total of 120 patients diagnosed with RAS wild-type mCRC will be enrolled in this study. Patients will receive a cetuximab-based infusional 5-fluorouracil regimen as first-line treatment. Cetuximab-based treatment is expected to continue until disease progression, intolerable toxic effects, or withdrawal of consent. Blood samples from enrolled patients will be collected before and then every 3 months during cetuximab-based treatment and also at disease progression. These blood samples will be evaluated for RAS resistance mutations by using the MassARRAY platform. The primary endpoint is the percentage of RAS mutations detected in circulating DNA from patients during cetuximab treatment. The correlation between the tumor response and survival outcomes of these patients and the emergence of circulating RAS mutations will be further analyzed.

Discussion: Liquid biopsy is a powerful technology that can represent tumor heterogeneity in a relatively noninvasive manner. Because RAS mutations play a major role in resistance to anti-EGFR therapy for mCRC, examining evolutionary changes in these mutations during such treatment through liquid biopsy would be useful. After comprehensively analyzing the emergence of circulating RAS mutations and its clinical relevance in this study, our results should provide practical guidance on anti-EGFR therapy for mCRC.

Trial registration: The date of trial registration ( NCT03401957 ) in this study was January 17, 2018.

Keywords: Cetuximab; Liquid biopsy; Metastatic colorectal cancer; RAS mutation.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic flowchart providing an overview of the study design; wt, wild-type; mCRC, metastatic colorectal cancer; 1 L, first-line treatment; 2 L, second-line treatment; PD, progression of disease

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