High-quality personalized cancer care relies on robust biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and treatment prediction. Currently biomarker testing often requires invasive tissue-based procedures for assessment, often compromised by tumor heterogeneity and discomfort for patients, especially those with metastatic disease. Research by the HEA funded All-Ireland Cancer Liquid Biopsies Consortium (CLuB), NCI collaborators and others has identified valuable tumor-derived information present in blood, highlighting the potential of the liquid biopsy (LB) as a non-invasive alternative that complements tissue biopsies. The LB tumor circulome comprises circulating tumor cells (CTCs), tumor DNA (mutated/methylated), RNA, proteins and extracellular vesicles (EVs) implicated in various cancer processes. This project, cocreated by patients, clinicians and scientists, will develop a new TransAtlantic Cancer Alliance combining the strengths of CLuB and NCI LB experts to evaluate ctDNA genomic, fragmentomic and methylation profiles, at multiple time-points, in a longitudinal cohort of 100 patients with resectable NSCLC. It will assess their individual predictive value and added value of co-analysis with CLuB’s CTC and EV data, using multimodal bioinformatics pipelines. It will prioritize dissemination of project results to patients and the public and develop a training programme for future leaders by supporting mobility of researchers and clinical fellows between Irish institutes (North and South) and Johns Hopkins University. The project supports expansion of CLuB through additional expert clinical partners and increased patient recruitment enabling high-powered studies and delivering impactful publications. Joining forces with international LB experts will drive innovation, foster new networks and attract further funding, enabling implementation of novel LB assays in the clinic. Aligned with national and international cancer strategies including the HRB Strategy 2021-2025, the National Cancer Strategy in Ireland (2017-2026), the Cancer Strategy for N-Ireland (2022-2032) and the EU Beating Cancer Plan our alliance contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being through improved care for patients.
