Circulating tumor DNA strongly predicts recurrence risk in colorectal cancer.

A tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay was found to be highly prognostic for recurrence risk in stage III colorectal cancer patients. Among 124 patients analyzed over a median follow-up of 4.8 years, ctDNA status exhibited a significant association with recurrence-free survival. The estimated 3-year recurrence-free survival rates were markedly different between ctDNA positive (54.5% after surgery, 18.2% after therapy) and negative patients (96.1% and 90.0%, respectively), emphasizing its predictive value.