ctDNA and Adjuvant Therapy for Colorectal Cancer: Time to Re-Invent Our Treatment Paradigm

摘要

There is currently a lack of useful tests to detect microscopic residual disease in patients who have undergone surgery to remove their bowel cancer. This inability to identify patients with microscopic cancer could lead to over- and under-treatment with chemotherapy. Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) has shown significant promise to fill this gap to potentially personalize treatment after curative intent surgery allowing de-intensifying and intensifying of adjuvant therapies to reduce unnecessary toxicity of systemic therapy and also to hopefully cure more patients with ‘high risk of relapse’. This review article focuses on the current clinical use and future direction of ctDNA for early-stage bowel cancer.