The Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute and researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are launching a novel nationwide study to understand why treatment resistance develops in a specific group of lung cancer patients.
The Study of Plasma Next Generation Sequencing for Remote Assessment, Characterization, Evaluation of Patients with ALK Drug Resistance uses the latest gene-sequencing technology on blood plasma of patients with a rare form of lung cancer.
The SPACEWALK study seeks to better understand the molecular causes of drug resistance to help doctors determine if switching to a different ALK inhibitor could prove beneficial.
Advances in gene-sequencing now allow doctors to understand a tumor’s genetic composition from a sample of a patient’s blood, sometimes called a “liquid biopsy.” In the past, genomic analysis required patients to undergo an invasive biopsy to collect tumor tissue for testing.
With a liquid biopsy, doctors can analyze tumor DNA shed into the bloodstream, which means patients only need to go through a simple blood test. By using liquid biopsies, with blood samples shipped for analysis, the study enables patients across the country to participate. A study open to patients throughout the U.S. is especially important in conducting a meaningful study of uncommon conditions.
To learn more about this study, click here.
