Ibrahim Halil Sahin: The value of ctDNA for management of patients with rectal cancer

Ibrahim Halil Sahin, Assistant Professor at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, shared a post on X about a recent article titled “The Role of Circulating Tumor DNA for Management of Patients With Rectal Cancer Challenges and Opportunities” published in The Cancer Journal.

Authors: Sahin Ibrahim Halil, Yanes Rami, Saridogan Turcin, Holder-Murray Jennifer, Dasari Arvind.

“Our article on the value of ctDNA for management of patients with rectal cancer management is out!

Thrilled to work with Dr. Arvind Dasari on this one!

Some key points:

• Unlike colon cancer, rectal cancer has notably lower DNA shedding rate, ranging 60-85% when there is radiologically measurable tumor.
  This is around 95 % for colon cancer.
• This is concerning for significant false negative rates and indicate ctDNA dynamics in rectal cancer is different than colon cancer, perhaps limitings it’s value.
• Notably, most studies failed to show correlation with ctDNA clearance and complete clinical response.
• Even more interestingly, poor correlation noted with local regrowth and ctDNA positivity.
• Best utility of ctDNA in these studies was consistent with systemic failure than local failure.

For more, here is the link for this interesting article.”

Source: Ibrahim Halil Sahin/X