Preoperative Circulating Tumor DNA Detection and Risk Stratification in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is recommended for clinical stage II (T2N0) esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with high-risk features such as tumor size 3 cm or greater, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and poor differentiation. However, these criteria have limited predictive value, and there is an unmet need for more accurate preoperative risk stratification tools.

Objective

To evaluate whether preoperative detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is associated with nodal upstaging and postoperative recurrence in patients with clinical stage I (T1b) or T2N0 ESCC.

Design, setting, and participants

This cohort study included 2 independent cohorts in Seoul, Korea: Samsung Medical Center (SMC; n = 50), with data from January 2015 through December 2019, a

SUBMITTER: Hong TH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12917745 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature