Cited 19 times since 2022 (11.5 per year) source: EuropePMC Cancer cell, Volume 40, Issue 9, 1 1 2022, Pages 999-1009.e6 Detection and localization of early- and late-stage cancers using platelet RNA. In 't Veld SGJG, Arkani M, Post E, Antunes-Ferreira M, D'Ambrosi S, Vessies DCL, Vermunt L, Vancura A, Muller M, Niemeijer AN, Tannous J, Meijer LL, Le Large TYS, Mantini G, Wondergem NE, Heinhuis KM, van Wilpe S, Smits AJ, Drees EEE, Roos E, Leurs CE, Tjon Kon Fat LA, van der Lelij EJ, Dwarshuis G, Kamphuis MJ, Visser LE, Harting R, Gregory A, Schweiger MW, Wedekind LE, Ramaker J, Zwaan K, Verschueren H, Bahce I, de Langen AJ, Smit EF, van den Heuvel MM, Hartemink KJ, Kuijpers MJE, Oude Egbrink MGA, Griffioen AW, Rossel R, Hiltermann TJN, Lee-Lewandrowski E, Lewandrowski KB, De Witt Hamer PC, Kouwenhoven M, Reijneveld JC, Leenders WPJ, Hoeben A, Verdonck-de Leeuw IM, Leemans CR, Baatenburg de Jong RJ, Terhaard CHJ, Takes RP, Langendijk JA, de Jager SC, Kraaijeveld AO, Pasterkamp G, Smits M, Schalken JA, Łapińska-Szumczyk S, Łojkowska A, Żaczek AJ, Lokhorst H, van de Donk NWCJ, Nijhof I, Prins HJ, Zijlstra JM, Idema S, Baayen JC, Teunissen CE, Killestein J, Besselink MG, Brammen L, Bachleitner-Hofmann T, Mate

Cancer patients benefit from early tumor detection since treatment outcomes are more favorable for less advanced cancers. Platelets are involved in cancer progression and are considered a promising biosource for cancer detection, as they alter their RNA content upon local and systemic cues. We show that tumor-educated platelet (TEP) RNA-based blood tests enable the detection of 18 cancer types. With 99% specificity in asymptomatic controls, thromboSeq correctly detected the presence of cancer in two-thirds of 1,096 blood samples from stage I-IV cancer patients and in half of 352 stage I-III tumors. Symptomatic controls, including inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, and benign tumors had increased false-positive test results with an average specificity of 78%. Moreover, thromboSeq determined the tumor site of origin in five different tumor types correctly in over 80% of the cancer patients. These results highlight the potential properties of TEP-derived RNA panels to supplement current approaches for blood-based cancer screening.

Cancer Cell. 2022 9;40(9):999-1009.e6