2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Posters)-EP06.06. EBUS as a Novel Procedure for Microbiome Collection and Analysis in NSCLC

Pdf Summary

The study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of collecting and analyzing the microbiome in patients undergoing endobronchial ultrasound guided biopsy (EBUS) for suspected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The researchers collected microbiome samples from stool, oral secretions, and the lower respiratory tract (LRT) during the EBUS procedure. They also collected blood samples for further analysis. The samples were stored and then analyzed using whole genome sequencing to evaluate the role of the microbiome as a prognostic marker and indicator of treatment response in NSCLC.<br /><br />So far, 70 patients have been recruited for the study. The researchers found that small volume lavage and protected brushings were possible at the tumor site in the majority of cases. Contralateral sampling was also possible in a significant percentage of cases. Oral samples were provided by almost all participants, but stool samples were only returned by 39% of participants. Whole genome sequencing has been successfully performed on oral, stool, and lung washing samples, and preliminary analysis is ongoing.<br /><br />The researchers also analyzed the demographics and characteristics of the participants. They found that most participants were diagnosed with NSCLC and had advanced stage lung cancer. A significant percentage of participants received chemotherapy and immunotherapy as part of their treatment.<br /><br />The study had some limitations, including the difficulty in obtaining samples from all participants due to sedation and the duration of the procedure. The poor rate of return of stool samples suggests a need to explore alternative microbiome sampling methods. Despite these limitations, the study concluded that EBUS shows potential as a microbiome sampling tool. The researchers are hopeful that analyzing the microbiome collected via EBUS will improve the prediction of tumor response to systemic therapy, particularly immunotherapy. Further analysis will be performed as the database expands.

Asset Subtitle

Anna McLean

Meta Tag

Speaker Anna McLean

Topic Pathology & Biomarkers: Prognostic Biomarkers

Keywords

microbiome

endobronchial ultrasound guided biopsy

non-small cell lung cancer

feasibility

collecting

analyzing

stool samples

oral samples

lower respiratory tract

whole genome sequencing