Droplet Digital PCR for Monitoring in Diagnostic Routine: Ready to Start?

Overview

Journal Cancers (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Oncology

Date 2021 Nov 13

PMID 34771634

Citations 6

Authors

Maria Teresa Bochicchio

Jessica Petiti

Paola Berchialla

Barbara Izzo

Emilia Giugliano

Emanuela Ottaviani

Santa Errichiello

Giovanna Rege-Cambrin

Claudia Venturi

Luigiana Luciano

Filomena Daraio

Daniele Calistri

Gianantonio Rosti

Giuseppe Saglio

Giovanni Martinelli

Fabrizio Pane

Daniela Cilloni

Enrico M Gottardi

Carmen Fava

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

mRNA levels represent the key molecular marker for the evaluation of minimal residual disease (MRD) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is currently the standard method to monitor it. In the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) discontinuation, droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) has emerged to provide a more precise detection of MRD. To hypothesize the use of ddPCR in clinical practice, we designed a multicentric study to evaluate the potential value of ddPCR in the diagnostic routine. Thirty-seven RNA samples from CML patients and five from healthy donors were analyzed using both ddPCR QXDx %IS Kit and LabNet-approved RT-qPCR methodologies in three different Italian laboratories. Our results show that ddPCR has a good agreement with RT-qPCR, but it is more precise to quantify transcript levels. Furthermore, we did not find differences between duplicate or quadruplicate analysis in terms of % IS values. Droplet digital PCR could be confidently introduced into the diagnostic routine as a complement to the RT-qPCR.

Citing Articles

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Measurable residual disease in chronic myeloid leukemia.

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