ctDNA testing for signs of recurrence and prediction of tumor prognosis

ctDNA testing for signs of recurrence and prediction of tumor prognosis.   This technology has been proposed for a long time. With the advancement of technology and the deepening of research, the prognosis of breast cancer and the prevention of tumor recurrence have gradually matured.

As the most terrifying disease killer of mankind after cardiovascular disease, cancer is continuously taking human lives. And according to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that by the middle of the 21st century, that is, around 2050, cancer will surpass cardiovascular disease and become the deadliest disease killer for humans.

For cancer, treatment methods have also been advancing rapidly in recent years. For example, the most cutting-edge immunotherapy technology has greatly changed the treatment results of cancer patients. Therefore, PD-1 inhibitors are also known as the ” Magic drug”.

However, even if “magic drugs” come out in large numbers, recurrence and metastasis are still “nightmares” that patients cannot avoid. If the signs of recurrence and metastasis can be detected in advance, early intervention may help patients to obtain better treatment results. This is the case with ct DNA testing. An examination that can detect tumor recurrence and metastasis in advance.

What is the relationship between ctDNA and cancer prognosis?

Recently, a study published in the well-known medical journal “JAMA” conducted a systematic analysis of our past studies on ct DNA and breast cancer prognosis to analyze whether ct DNA can be used as a clinical indicator to reflect breast cancer. The patient’s recurrence after treatment.

After analyzing 263 studies, a total of 8 studies are eligible, including 5 prospective studies and 3 retrospective cohort studies. These studies were published between 2002 and 2020. All studies Both have made a clear analysis of the relationship between ct DNA test results and the prognosis of breast cancer.

These studies have a total of 739 patient data, and the researchers analyzed the data of these patients.

Results: 

In these 8 studies, the patient group with elevated ct DNA had a significantly shorter disease-free survival (DFS)! The result is shown below:

After further subdividing breast cancer patients, analyzing the data of patients who have metastasized or are in locally advanced stages also found the same pattern:

As shown in the figure above, the level of ct DNA is significantly correlated with tumor recurrence-free survival; this data is also established in the data of early breast cancer patients-the shortening of DFS is related to the increase of ct DNA level.

In order to rule out whether the collection of ct DNA at different stages will affect the results, the researchers also analyzed the collection time: including the comparison of the data of ct DNA collected before surgery and treatment and ct DNA collected after treatment. The results show that no matter where it is In this case, the increase of ct DNA level is related to the shortening of DFS. The results are shown in the following figure:

SUM UP:

These studies have proved that ct DNA as an indicator is a feasible solution to judge the prognosis of breast cancer. This “ancient” technology, which was born in 1948, is like cellular immunotherapy (appeared at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century). It was salvaged from history by people, and it is continuously benefiting mankind with the development of technology. .

Of course, in addition to recurrence monitoring and prognostic judgment, ct DNA can also be used for early tumor screening. This is also a main direction of ct DNA at present. After all, people can detect ct DNA from the blood in the early stage of tumor occurrence. When the tumor tissue develops to be monitored by imaging examinations, it is likely that the tumor has already possessed a strong threat.

It is believed that with the development of technology, early tumor diagnosis and recurrence monitoring (ct DNA monitoring) will bring hope of cure for cancer patients.

(source:internet, reference only)

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