Yan Leyfman, Medical Oncologist, Co-Founder and Executive Director of MedNews Week, shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent article by Rutika Mehta et al. published in Cancer:
“ctDNA dynamics predict outcomes in advanced gastroesophageal cancer
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is emerging as a powerful biomarker, but its role in advanced esophageal and gastric cancers (EGC) has been unclear. A large multi-institutional analysis now highlights its clinical utility.
Study snapshot (n = 200):
Recurrent & metastatic EGC
Tumor-informed ctDNA assay (Signatera)
Longitudinal ctDNA tracked alongside imaging and clinical outcomes
 Key findings:
- ctDNA detected recurrence early: 81% positive before clinical relapse
- All patients with persistent ctDNA negativity benefited from treatment
- ctDNA clearance (Pos→Neg) strongly associated with favorable outcomes
- Conversion from negative to positive predicted progression
- >90% ctDNA reduction → superior PFS, even if ctDNA remained detectable
Clinical impact:
- ctDNA dynamics stratified patients into favorable vs unfavorable risk groups
- Favorable ctDNA patterns correlated with significantly improved PFS (p < .0001)
- Enables earlier response assessment and may guide imaging & treatment decisions
Takeaway: Longitudinal ctDNA monitoring offers a minimally invasive, cost-effective complement to imaging, with strong potential to personalize care in advanced gastroesophageal cancer.”
Title: Circulating tumor DNA informs clinical practice in patients with recurrent/metastatic gastroesophageal cancers
Authors: Rutika Mehta, Samuel Rivero-Hinojosa, Farshid Dayyani, Jenifer Ferguson, Bushra Shariff, Vasily N. Aushev, Griffin L. Budde, J. Bryce Ortiz, Giby V. George, Shruti Sharma, Adham A. Jurdi, Minetta C. Liu, Ronald L. Drengler, Samuel J. Klempner
Read the Full Article on Cancer
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