摘要:
A method of analyzing a biological sample of an organism, the biological sample including DNA originating from normal cells and potentially from cells associated with cancer, wherein at least some of the DNA is cell-free in the biological sample, the method comprising: for each size of a plurality of sizes: measuring an amount of a first set of DNA fragments from the biological sample corresponding to the size; calculating a first value of a first parameter based on the amounts of DNA fragments at multiple sizes, the first parameter providing a statistical measure of a size profile of DNA fragments in the biological sample; comparing the first value to a reference value; and determining a classification of a level of cancer in the organism based on the comparison.
摘要:
This invention provides several ways of managing GC bias that occurs during seequencing and analysis of genomic DNA. Maternal plasma can be used as a source of fetal DNA for analysis. DNA segments or tags obtained from the plasma can be aligned with a chromosomal region of interest and with an artificial reference chromosome assembled from regions of the genome having matching GC content. This technology can be used, for example, to detect and evaluate aneuploidy and other chromosomal abnormalities.
摘要:
Progress of chromosomal aberrations in an organism is determined using biological samples including nucleic acid molecules originating from normal cells and potentially from cells associated with a disease, at least some of the nucleic acid molecules being cell-free. Non-overlapping chromosomal regions of a reference genome of the organism are determined. At a plurality of times: for each of plural nucleic acid molecules, a location thereof in the reference genome is determined; and for each chromosomal region: a respective group of nucleic acid molecules is identified as being therefrom based on the identified locations; a respective value defining a property of the nucleic acid molecules is calculated and compared to a reference value to determine a classification of whether the chromosomal region exhibits a deletion or an amplification. The classifications at the plurality of times are used to determine the progress of the chromosomal aberrations in the organism.
摘要:
A frequency of somatic mutations in a biological sample (e.g., plasma or serum) of a subject undergoing screening or monitoring for cancer, can be compared with that in the constitutional DNA of the same subject. A parameter can derived from these frequencies and used to determine a classification of a level of cancer. False positives can be filtered out by requiring any variant locus to have at least a specified number of variant sequence reads (tags), thereby providing a more accurate parameter. The relative frequencies for different variant loci can be analyzed to determine a level of heterogeneity of tumors in a patient.
摘要:
Methods, apparatuses, and system are provided for analyzing a maternal sample to determine whether a male fetus of a pregnant female has inherited an X-linked mutation from the mother. A percentage of fetal DNA in the sample is obtained, and cutoff values for the two possibilities (fetus inherits mutant or normal allele) are determined. A proportion of mutant alleles relative to a normal allele on the X-chromosome can then be compared to the cutoff values to make a classification of which allele is inherited. Alternatively, a number of alleles from a target region on the X-chromosome can be compared to a number of alleles from a reference region on the X-chromosome to identify a deletion or amplification. The fetal DNA percentage can be computed by counting reactions with a fetal-specific allele, and correcting the number to account for a statistical distribution among the reactions.