The Promise of Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the Management of Early-Stage Colon Cancer: A Critical Review

摘要

Currently, the treatment for localized colon cancer consists of surgery and, if the presence of residual cancer cells is suspected, chemotherapy following the surgery. However, the current standard tools to determine the presence of residual cancer after the surgery are imprecise, which results in under- or overtreatment in a significant number of patients. Emerging research indicates that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can reveal the presence of residual cancer after surgery with much higher precision than the presently available tools, and can help with the treatment decision regarding a need for chemotherapy after the surgery. Furthermore, ctDNA can potentially help determine the effectiveness of chemotherapy and detect cancer recurrence much earlier than the current standard tools. In this review, we have critically evaluated available data to provide the readers with an overview of how ctDNA can potentially transform the treatment of localized colon cancer in the near future.