A new study suggests that a circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) blood test could help identify colorectal cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy after surgery. Researchers found that patients whose cancer had spread to the liver and who tested positive for ctDNA after surgery experienced significantly better survival when they received adjuvant chemotherapy compared with those who did not. In contrast, patients with no detectable ctDNA had good long-term outcomes regardless of chemotherapy, raising the possibility of avoiding unnecessary treatment and its side effects. While these findings are promising, experts stress that larger randomized clinical trials are still needed before ctDNA-guided treatment becomes routine clinical practice.
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