Utility of ctDNA in Early-Stage, Advanced Colon Cancer

Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO, of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, provides her thoughts on ctDNA upfront, sequential, and combined with NGS testing for patients with early-stage and advanced colon cancer.

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Dr. Eng: In the early-stage setting, we have seen data in stage 2 through the dynamic trial that there may be a role for ctDNA. But unfortunately, we had a trial in the United States in the stage 2 setting that was closed prematurely because basically the panel that was utilized for testing ctDNA had changed. This leads me to believe that ctDNA is an evolving field, and sometimes it impacts the outcomes of a given study. And so at interim analysis, that trial was closed for stage 2.

Now for stage 3, there is an ongoing study called CIRCULATE-US that I would highly encourage patients to enroll in. In the stage 4 setting, I have been utilizing more ctDNA off protocol, specifically in patients that are high risk of recurrence following metastatic resection, and I utilize it as an additional tool.

View her continued comments.