Fabio Carbone, Colorectal Surgeon at IRCCS National Cancer Institute G. Pascale Foundation, Naples, Italy, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Pleased to share that our systematic review and meta-analysis on blood-based ctDNA for colorectal cancer screening has now been published in Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology.
In a screening population of over 36,000 asymptomatic individuals, we found:
- High specificity (~91%) and clinically meaningful sensitivity (~72%) for invasive CRC
- Limited detection of advanced precancerous lesions (~13%)
- A clear stage-dependent increase in sensitivity, reflecting underlying tumour biology
These findings suggest that ctDNA testing is not yet a replacement for established screening modalities, but may represent a complementary, patient-centred tool to improve participation and broaden access to screening.
As technology evolves, the key challenge will be balancing early detection, colonoscopy burden, and real-world feasibility.
Grateful to all co-authors and collaborators involved in this work.”
Title: Blood-based circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) tests for colorectal cancer screening: Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy
Authors: Fabio Carbone, Davide Ciardiello, Stefano Granieri, Nicola Fazio, Antonio Avallone, Paolo Delrio
Other articles about ctDNA on OncoDaily.