Every type of cancer is associated with changes in genes and protein structure or function in the body known as biomarkers. These biomarkers can help diagnose cancer, as well as to track the disease and response to treatment. Over the last 10 years, technology has led to the identification of many cancer biomarkers; the use of cancer biomarkers has become an important part in the treatment and management of cancer.~For solid tumors, biomarker testing is usually done on the tumor tissue from a biopsy or surgery. Although testing tumor tissue provides a lot of information, there are some challenges with the process. First, tumor cells can be different even within small tumors. To overcome this, the pathologist (doctor that examines tumor tissue) needs to test cells from different parts of the tumor. Often, there may not be enough of the tissue to test for biomarkers. In addition, tumor cells change when the patient undergoes treatment and there might be a need to repeat biopsies. Sometimes it may not be possible to repeat a biopsy to study the changes in biomarkers because some patients cannot have a repeat biopsy done safely.~There are many advantages to tracking biomarkers in the blood instead of on tissue. We can study changes in biomarkers more often (because it is a blood draw), and therefore will be able to determine how your treatment is working, learn if the cancer is coming back, or find drugs that may target the changed tumor cells.~The purpose of this research study is to learn more about changes in cell-free tumor DNA in blood samples, also known as a liquid biopsy, as they relate to treatment and response to treatment. Cell-free tumor DNA is genetic material that is released into your bloodstream from tumor cells as they die. Genes are a unique combination of molecules (called DNA) that are found in all human cells. In some cases, these genes may be changed in cancer and tumor cells. These changes, or tumor markers are substances produced by cancer cells that are found in the blood, body fluids or tissues, and may be made of DNA, RNA, proteins, cells or components of cells. In the future, the markers may help doctors decide which treatments could be most beneficial for NSCLC. Tumor markers may be used to help predict a response to certain cancer treatments and to check how the patiet's type of cancer responds to the treatment.
The purpose of this research study is to learn more about changes in cell-free tumor DNA in blood samples, also known as a liquid biopsy, as they relate to treatment and response to treatment.