Improvement of patient care using cancer genomic profiling: SCRUM-/CIRCULATE-Japan experience

Abstract

We launched SCRUM-Japan platform for the cancer genome profiling (CGP) test screening followed by the enrollment to genomically-matched clinical trials in 2015. More than 30,000 tissue-based and 10,000 liquid-based CGP tests have already been performed for enrolling to a total of 127 industry-/investigator-initiated registration trials, which resulted in regulatory approvals of 12 new agents with 14 indications in Japan. Using the clinical-genomic database, a new driver gene was recently discovered with dramatic response by genomically-matched agent. Our comparative study with tissue-based CGPs revealed more usefulness of liquid biopsy in terms of less invasive manner, shorter turn-round time, and higher enrollment rate for matched treatments than tissue-based in gastrointestinal cancers. For detecting minimal/molecular residual disease (MRD) after surgery, post-surgical monitoring with tumor-informed liquid biopsy assay in association with two randomized control trials have also started in 2020 (CIRCULATE-Japan). The observational cohort study showed obvious efficacy of the MRD monitoring for predicting recurrence, leading to change clinical practice in patient selection who should receive adjuvant therapy in the near future.