NCI Whitepaper Defines ctDNA Applications Across Colorectal Cancer Management
A multidisciplinary NCI expert panel evaluated the utility of circulating tumor DNA in colorectal cancer across four key domains: minimal residual disease detection, rectal cancer management, therapy response monitoring, and tracking clonal dynamics during targeted therapy. The whitepaper provides consensus guidance for promoting efficient development and clinical integration of ctDNA-based testing, with general recommendations applicable across cancer types. This framework is particularly relevant for laboratories establishing ctDNA workflows for solid tumor oncology.
The original study
ctDNA applications and integration in colorectal cancer: an NCI Colon and Rectal-Anal Task Forces whitepaper.
- Authors
- Dasari A, Morris VK, Allegra CJ, Atreya C, Benson AB, Boland P, et al.
- Journal
- Nature reviews. Clinical oncology
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 32632268
Original abstract
An increasing number of studies are describing potential uses of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in the care of patients with colorectal cancer. Owing to this rapidly developing area of research, the Colon and Rectal-Anal Task Forces of the United States National Cancer Institute convened a panel of multidisciplinary experts to summarize current data on the utility of ctDNA in the management of colorectal cancer and to provide guidance in promoting the efficient development and integration of this technology into clinical care. The panel focused on four key areas in which ctDNA has the potential to change clinical practice, including the detection of minimal residual disease, the management of patients with rectal cancer, monitoring responses to therapy, and tracking clonal dynamics in response to targeted therapies and other systemic treatments. The panel also provides general guidelines with relevance for ctDNA-related research efforts, irrespective of indication.