Annals of laboratory medicine
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pleural Effusion and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid-Based Circulating Tumor DNA Testing in Lung Cancer
By Lee J, Kim JS, Kim HS and 1 others.
Abstract
Background
Pleural effusion (PE) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) are increasingly investigated as alternative sources of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for lung cancer molecular testing. As specimen-collection sites are close to thoracic tumors, specimens may contain clinically informative concentrations of tumor-derived DNA. However, standardized recommendations for PE/BALF-based ctDNA testing remain limited; practical, consensus-based recommendations for this testing in lung cancer were developed.
Methods
The guidelines were developed using a structured multistep process modeled on the recent blood-based ctDNA guidelines. A targeted systematic literature review and evidence appraisal were performed, a national practice survey assessed current implementation barriers in Korea, and draft recommendations were refined through a two-round Delphi consensus involving eight multidisciplinary experts.