Clinical value of surveillance with serial circulating tumor DNA after curative-intent resection of colorectal cancer
Prof. Marwan Fakih
Serial circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) monitoring has emerged as a routine surveillance strategy for patients with resected colorectal cancer, but how serial ctDNA monitoring is associated with potential curative outcomes has not been formally assessed. A cohort study at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center (Duarte, CA) included 184 patients with resected stage II to IV colorectal cancer who were monitored with serial ctDNA assay and NCCN-recommended imaging surveillance. The addition of ctDNA monitoring led to curative surgical intervention in only 1.6% of patients. The authors conclude that these findings suggest that the addition of serial ctDNA assays to NCCN-recommended imaging surveillance has limited clinical benefits.
