Dynamic analysis of predictive biomarkers for radiation therapy efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer patients by next-generation sequencing based on blood specimens

Radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, and the aim of this study was to explore the potential association of single gene mutation or pathway mutations with radiotherapy response using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing of peripheral blood specimens. We performed NGS containing 425 genes on peripheral blood specimens from 13 NSCLC patients pre- and post-radiotherapy or post-radiotherapy. Patients whose tumors were in complete response or partial response within 1 month after radiotherapy were classified as a radiotherapy-sensitive group; otherwise, they were categorized as a radiotherapy-resistant group. The relationship between single gene mutations, signaling pathway mutations, dynamic fluctuations in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and radiotherapy response was investigated. Of these 13 patients,6 patients were categorized as a radiotherapy-sensitive group (46.2%), and 7 patients were categorized as a radiotherapy-resistant group (53.8%). No correlation between single gene mutations and response to radiotherapy. Mutations in the SWI/SNF complex were more likely to occur in the radiotherapy-sensitive group than in the other group (p = 0.07). Among all patients,9 patients underwent NGS tests pre- and post-radiotherapy. Dynamic analysis based on ctDNA before and after treatment revealed that a decrease in ctDNA abundance was observed in all patients in the radiotherapy-sensitive group. SWI/SNF complex mutations may be potential predictive biomarkers of radiotherapy response. Decreased ctDNA abundance after radiotherapy correlates with better efficacy of radiotherapy.