Multiple Omics Sequencing Technologies in Predicting the Efficacy and Monitoring the Recurrence of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Applications of Multiple Omics Sequencing Technologies in Predicting the Efficacy and Monitoring the Recurrence of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Prospective, Non-Interventional Study

Lung cancer is one of the diseases with the highest global incidence and mortality. Studies have confirmed that liquid biopsy markers such as minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in solid tumors, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and T-cell receptor (TCR) have roles in monitoring disease status, prognostic evaluation, recurrence prediction, and guiding treatment decisions in NSCLC patients. Peripheral blood dynamic monitoring indicators have broad application prospects and may completely transform the treatment paradigm for NSCLC patients in the future. However, current limitations exist, including the need to improve the sensitivity of detection methods, the lack of uniform criteria for defining MRD positivity, the undetermined timing and cycle of MRD testing, and insufficient results from large-scale prospective clinical trials. Therefore, the transition of peripheral blood-based dynamic testing to routine clinical practice still requires results from large-scale prospective clinical trials. This study intends to conduct a prospective clinical trial enrolling NSCLC patients with different stages and treatment modalities (immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy, targeted therapy combined with chemotherapy, neoadjuvant therapy, adjuvant therapy). Based on peripheral blood and tumor tissue samples, it will systematically integrate multi-omics approaches including ctDNA testing, whole exome sequencing (WES), genome-wide methylation sequencing (GM-seq), and TCR-seq to carry out comprehensive, precise, and dynamic biomarker detection for efficacy monitoring and recurrence prediction, providing new methods and evidence for the clinical application of dynamic liquid biopsy monitoring in lung cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Voluntarily signed the informed consent;
2. Aged 18 years or older;
3. Expected life expectancy of ≥3 months;
4. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score of 0 or 1 (see Appendix 1);
5. Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients;
6. Classified as stage II, III, or IV according to the AJCC TNM staging system (9th edition);
7. Willing to provide blood samples and pre-treatment paraffin-embedded tissue samples;
8. With evaluable target lesions for efficacy assessment.

Exclusion Criteria

1. In the investigator's opinion, unsuitable for peripheral blood collection due to complications or other circumstances;
2. Active, known, or suspected autoimmune diseases (except vitiligo, type 1 diabetes, residual hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune thyroiditis requiring only hormone replacement therapy, or conditions not expected to relapse without external stimulation);
3. Active tuberculosis (TB) infection confirmed by chest X-ray, sputum examination, and clinical physical examination. Patients with a history of active TB infection within the past 1 year, even if treated, will be excluded. Patients with a history of active TB infection more than 1 year ago will also be excluded unless they can demonstrate that previous antitubercular treatment was fully effective;
4. Comorbidities requiring treatment with immunosuppressive drugs, or comorbidities requiring systemic or local corticosteroids at immunosuppressive doses;
5. Pregnant or lactating;
6. Positive for human immunodeficiency virus antibody (HIVAb), active hepatitis B virus infection (HBsAg-positive and HBV-DNA > 10³ copies/ml), or hepatitis C virus infection (HCV antibody-positive and HCV-RNA > the lower limit of detection at the study center);
7. History of severe neurological or psychiatric disorders, including but not limited to: dementia, depression, seizures, bipolar disorder, etc.;
8. Use of any antitumor-active drugs prior to blood sample collection;
9. Previous history of other malignancies (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer and the following in situ carcinomas: bladder, stomach, colon, endometrium, cervix/dysplasia, melanoma, or breast cancer);
10. Administration of live vaccines within 28 days prior to blood sample collection.