Clinical impact of circulating tumor DNA to track minimal residual disease in colorectal cancer patients. Hopes and limitations

Abstract

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has been studied as a non-invasive tool for disease monitoring in different cancer types. Despite advances in colorectal cancer (CRC) management, it remains a leading cause of mortality and there is an unmet need for new biomarkers to guide therapeutic approaches and improve patient’s outcome after surgical resection of the primary tumor or its metastatic sites. This review summarizes the different clinical results and ongoing studies on the performances of ctDNA as a prognostic marker for disease recurrence, both in non-metastatic patients with resection of the primary tumor and in those with full resection of metastatic disease.