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Cell-free DNA testing for the detection and prognosis prediction of pancreatic cancer

Author

Listed:
  • Jianmin Wu

    (Fudan University
    Naval Medical University)

  • Xiongfei Xu

    (Naval Medical University
    Naval Medical University)

  • Qingzheng Zhang

    (Genetrix Biotech Corporation)

  • Peilong Li

    (The Second Hospital of Shandong University)

  • Tong Wu

    (General Hospital of Northern Theater Command)

  • Shiwei Guo

    (Naval Medical University
    Naval Medical University)

  • Lutao Du

    (Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovation Technology in Laboratory Medicine)

  • Dongdong Xue

    (Naval Medical University)

  • Siyun Shen

    (Naval Medical University)

  • Fuming Sun

    (Berry Oncology Corporation)

  • Ji Hu

    (Naval Medical University)

  • Lu Zheng

    (Berry Oncology Corporation)

  • Xuan Wu

    (Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

  • Jian Bai

    (Berry Oncology Corporation)

  • Yin Wang

    (Berry Oncology Corporation)

  • Lin Wu

    (Berry Oncology Corporation)

  • Weiwei Liu

    (Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

  • Hongyang Wang

    (Fudan University
    Naval Medical University)

  • Gang Jin

    (Naval Medical University
    Naval Medical University)

  • Lei Chen

    (Naval Medical University)

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is known for its lethal condition, with most cases being diagnosed at advanced stage. Recently, liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising tool in cancer detection. Here we develop both an early detection model and a prognostic model for pancreatic cancer using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) end motif, fragmentation, nucleosome footprint (NF), and copy number alteration (CNA) features from plasma cfDNA. A total of 975 individuals were enrolled in our study. We developed an integrated model that demonstrated superior performance in distinguishing patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer from non-cancer controls. Moreover, we find that cfDNA features are associated with prognostic outcomes among pancreatic cancer patients. In this study, a cfDNA-based liquid biopsy signature is established for the early detection and prognostic prediction of pancreatic cancer. CfDNA may become a valuable tool for enhancing early diagnosis and prognosis assessment in this challenging disease.

Suggested Citation

  • Jianmin Wu & Xiongfei Xu & Qingzheng Zhang & Peilong Li & Tong Wu & Shiwei Guo & Lutao Du & Dongdong Xue & Siyun Shen & Fuming Sun & Ji Hu & Lu Zheng & Xuan Wu & Jian Bai & Yin Wang & Lin Wu & Weiwei , 2025. "Cell-free DNA testing for the detection and prognosis prediction of pancreatic cancer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-61890-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61890-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gulfem D. Guler & Yuhong Ning & Chin-Jen Ku & Tierney Phillips & Erin McCarthy & Christopher K. Ellison & Anna Bergamaschi & Francois Collin & Paul Lloyd & Aaron Scott & Michael Antoine & Wendy Wang &, 2020. "Detection of early stage pancreatic cancer using 5-hydroxymethylcytosine signatures in circulating cell free DNA," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Yunyun An & Xin Zhao & Ziteng Zhang & Zhaohua Xia & Mengqi Yang & Li Ma & Yu Zhao & Gang Xu & Shunda Du & Xiang’an Wu & Shuowen Zhang & Xin Hong & Xin Jin & Kun Sun, 2023. "DNA methylation analysis explores the molecular basis of plasma cell-free DNA fragmentation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Fenglong Bie & Zhijie Wang & Yulong Li & Wei Guo & Yuanyuan Hong & Tiancheng Han & Fang Lv & Shunli Yang & Suxing Li & Xi Li & Peiyao Nie & Shun Xu & Ruochuan Zang & Moyan Zhang & Peng Song & Feiyue F, 2023. "Multimodal analysis of cell-free DNA whole-methylome sequencing for cancer detection and localization," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Stephen Cristiano & Alessandro Leal & Jillian Phallen & Jacob Fiksel & Vilmos Adleff & Daniel C. Bruhm & Sarah Østrup Jensen & Jamie E. Medina & Carolyn Hruban & James R. White & Doreen N. Palsgrove &, 2019. "Genome-wide cell-free DNA fragmentation in patients with cancer," Nature, Nature, vol. 570(7761), pages 385-389, June.
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