The Sensitivity and Specificity of Novel Primers for Detection of BRAFV600E Mutation.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of a PCR-based novel technique for the detection of BRAF mutation in early stages of the cancer.

Methods: Different lengths of primer sets, ranging from 8 bp to 20 bp, were designed and used in this study. These primers were developed by applying on  cancer cell lines.

Circulating tumor DNA in patients with colorectal adenomas: assessment of detectability and genetic heterogeneity.

Improving early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) is a key public health priority as adenomas and stage I cancer can be treated with minimally invasive procedures. Population screening strategies based on detection of occult blood in the feces have contributed to enhance detection rates of localized disease, but new approaches based on genetic analyses able to increase specificity and sensitivity could provide additional advantages compared to current screening methodologies. Recently, circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has received much attention as a cancer biomarker for its ability to monitor the progression of advanced disease, predict tumor recurrence and reflect the complex genetic heterogeneity of cancers.