Tracking plasma DNA mutation dynamics in estrogen receptor positive metastatic breast cancer with dPCR-SEQ

Serial monitoring of plasma DNA mutations in estrogen receptor positive metastatic breast cancer (ER + MBC) holds promise as an early predictor of therapeutic response. Here, we developed dPCR-SEQ, a customized assay that utilizes digital PCR-based target enrichment followed by next-generation sequencing to analyze plasma DNA mutations in ESR1, PIK3CA, and TP53. We validated dPCR-SEQ in a prospective cohort of 58 patients with ER + MBC and demonstrate excellent concordance with hotspot ESR1 mutation abundance measured by conventional digital PCR. The dPCR-SEQ assay revealed ESR1, PIK3CA, and TP53 plasma ctDNA mutations in 55%, 32%, and 32% of the study patients, respectively. We also observed dynamic changes in ESR1, PIK3CA, and TP53 ctDNA mutant allele fraction (MAF) that were frequently discordant between the different genes. Thus, monitoring plasma DNA mutation dynamics using a dPCR-SEQ assay is feasible, accurate, and may be investigated as a biomarker of therapeutic response in ER + MBC.