High-throughput methylation profiling of cell-free plasma DNA in head and neck cancer: a pilot study

High-throughput methylation profiling of cell-free plasma DNA in head and neck cancer: a pilot study: Background: A promising platform to provide genetic biomarker led stratification in head and neck cancer (HNSCC) is a liquid biopsy - utilising tumour derived cell-free plasma DNA (cfDNA). One liquid biopsy biomarker that has generated interest is the methylation status of key promotor genes. Tumour DNA methylation patterns in HNSCC have been shown to be biomarkers of treatment response and survival. However, few studies have examined the methylation status of cfDNA in HNSCC. The advent of high-throughput methylation arrays has enabled analysis to be performed on hundreds of thousands of gene promotor regions, delivering comprehensive genome-wide methylation profiling. (Source: The British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)