Abstract IA028: Circulating tumor DNA in the management for colorectal cancer: Are we there yet?


 Assessment of circulating tumor DNA represents a highly specific and highly sensitive "liquid biopsy" methodology to detect the presence (or absence) of microscopic disease for patients with colorectal cancer. With performance of available circulating tumor DNA assays rapidly evolving, the clinical and scientific applications subsequently continue to expand. Data generated by circulating tumor DNA/liquid biopsies has translated into the clinical management of colorectal cancer as a prognostic biomarker forecasting disease recurrence after resection and also for quantitative and qualitative characterization of treatment response in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. To date, evidence of utility of circulating tumor DNA as a predictive biomarker for systemic treatment remains missing and illustrates a critical gap in knowledge. To address this unmet need, currently assessment of patients' blood specimens can provide critical cancer-specific insight into the dynamics not only of the colorectal cancer genome but also of the epigenome and transcriptome. Clinical trials are evaluating circulating tumor DNA as a novel approach to identifying micrometastatic colorectal cancer as a biologically distinct pathology that differs from larger, clinically detectable disease, with the intention for development of unique, targeted approaches which may ultimately improve outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer.
 Citation Format: Van Karlyle Morris. Circulating tumor DNA in the management for colorectal cancer: Are we there yet? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Colorectal Cancer; 2022 Oct 1-4; Portland, OR. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(23 Suppl_1):Abstract nr IA028.