Impact of Sensitive Circulating Tumor DNA Monitoring on CT Scan Intervals During Postoperative Colorectal Cancer Surveillance.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study investigated whether digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR)-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) monitoring can allow longer intervals between computed tomography (CT) scans during postoperative surveillance of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Background

Practical guidelines still recommend intensive postoperative surveillance of CRC using periodical CT scans and serum carcinoembryonic antigen testing.

Methods

The longitudinal dynamics of ctDNA for 52 patients with CRC as measured by dPCR using probes targeting 87 individual tumor-specific mutations (1-5 per patient) were compared with results from conventional (ie, clinical) surveillance using serum tumor markers and CT.

Results

A total of 382 CT procedures were carried out for the patient cohort

SUBMITTER: Sasaki T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11932597 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature