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Timisnar - Biomarkers Substudy (Timisnar-mirna)
Sponsor: Azienda Ospedaliera SS. Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo di Alessandria
Summary
Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCHT) followed by surgery is the mainstay treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer, leading to significant decrease in tumor size (downsizing) and a shift towards earlier disease stage in the primary tumor and lymph nodes (downstaging). Extensive histopathological work-up of the tumor specimen after surgery including tumor regression grading (TRG) and lymph node status (ypN) helped to visualize individual tumor sensitivity to CRT retrospectively. Since the response to nCHT is heterogeneous, however, valid biomarkers are needed to monitor tumor response. A relevant number of studies aimed to identify molecular markers retrieved from tumor tissue while the relevance of blood-based biomarkers is less stringent assessed. As a potential alternative to CEA and ctDNA, microRNAs (miRNAs) are currently under investigation to serve as blood-based biomarkers. miRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by post-transcriptional mRNA binding, which promotes the destabilization of target miRNAs. The target specificity of miRNAs is largely predetermined by their so-called "seed-sequence" (containing nucleotides at position 2-7 of the miRNA). They are highly conserved between species, stable and easy detectable even in small concentrations. They have been widely analyzed in physiological and pathological processes, and their expression is tissue specific.
Official title: Timing To Minimally Invasive Surgery After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy For Rectal Cancer: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial - Biomarkers SubStudy
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
200
Start Date
2019-04-01
Completion Date
2025-04-01
Last Updated
2024-04-16
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
miRNA
15 ml of whole blood samples are collected in Vacutainer tubes with spray-coated K2EDTA and stored at room temperature. To minimize the hemolysis and nucleic acids degradation, plasma separation undergoes within 2 h. Within 1 h, tubes are subjected to a first centrifugation step at 2200 x g and room temperature for 15 min. Plasma supernatants are transferred to 15 mL tubes, carefully avoiding contact with the lymphocytic ring, and tubes are centrifuged a second time at 3000 x g and RT for 10 min to remove cellular debris. Plasma samples are then collected into 1.5 mL cryovials and all the aliquots are stored at -80 °C.
Locations (1)
SS. Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo
Alessandria, Italy