Temple Health’s Fox Chase Cancer Center announced on May 5 a new clinical trial in collaboration with Labcorp to evaluate an ultra-sensitive blood-based assay for detecting early-stage lung cancer recurrence risk. The study will assess the Labcorp Plasma Detect Genome MRD, a whole-genome sequencing-based test designed to measure molecular residual disease by detecting circulating tumor DNA in patients’ bloodstreams after treatment.
This collaboration aims to determine whether the assay can identify signs of molecular recurrence months before clinical relapse appears on imaging or through symptoms. “Even when you think a patient is cured, recurrence is the reality for many,” said the Chief of the Division of Thoracic Medical Oncology at Fox Chase and principal investigator on the study. “This collaboration between Fox Chase and Labcorp will evaluate the use of this test, which is already being used for colon cancer, to help doctors understand the risk of recurrence for patients with early-stage lung cancer.”
Shakti Ramkissoon, MD, PhD, Vice President and Medical Lead for Oncology at Labcorp said, “As cancer care becomes more personalized, tools like Labcorp Plasma Detect Genome MRD can give us a clearer look at what’s happening in a patient’s body. This collaboration between Labcorp and Fox Chase will test its use for early-stage lung cancer — with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for these patients.”
The investigator-initiated observational trial aligns with standard-of-care treatment protocols at Fox Chase Cancer Center. The center will provide clinical oversight and access to eligible patients diagnosed with stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer who are undergoing surgery—with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy—at its facility. Participation requires only additional blood samples collected during routine procedures; no extra treatments are involved.
Researchers plan to correlate results from this blood-based assay with conventional monitoring tools such as CT scans in order to determine if it can detect recurrences earlier or more accurately than existing methods.
“The ability to predict who is at risk for recurrence has long been a critical goal of oncology,” Borghaei said. “If successful, this collaboration could help bring a powerful diagnostic tool into routine practice for patients with early-stage lung cancer.” Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Fox Chase Cancer Center was founded in 1904; its current president is Dr. Robert Uzzo. In 2022 alone there were over 5,000 surgeries performed and nearly 3,500 admissions recorded according to the center’s annual report.
