A novel methylated cell-free DNA marker panel to monitor treatment response in metastatic prostate cancer

This study examined circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) biomarkers associated with androgen treatment resistance in metastatic castration resistance prostate cancer (mCRPC). We designed a panel of nine candidate cfDNA methylation markers using droplet digital PCR (Methyl-ddPCR) and assessed methylation levels in sequentially collected cfDNA samples from patients with mCRPC. Increased cfDNA methylation in eight out of nine markers during androgen-targeted treatment correlated with a faster time to clinical progression. Cox proportional hazards modeling and logistic regression analysis further confirmed that higher cfDNA methylation during treatment was significantly associated with clinical progression. Overall, our findings have revealed a novel methylated cfDNA marker panel that could aid in the clinical management of metastatic prostate cancer.