"An emerging application of liquid biopsy that holds significant promise for improving cancer care is its ability to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) and recurrence after treatment. Recent research has demonstrated that the presence or absence of ctDNA following surgery or systemic therapy can serve as a powerful indicator of patient outcomes and guide posttreatment decisions.\n\nIn colorectal cancer, a recent study showed that patients with detectable ctDNA after surgical removal of the tumor had worse survival outcomes, while sustained ctDNA clearance during additional chemotherapy predicted long-term benefit (1086)Nakamura Y, et al. (2024) Nat Med, 30: 3272.. Clinical trials have also shown that ctDNA measurement as a marker of MRD can guide treatment decisions in early-stage disease. In colorectal cancer, researchers found that using ctDNA to inform adjuvant chemotherapy decisions significantly reduced unnecessary treatment without compromising long-term survival (1087)Tie J, et al. (2025) Nat Med, 31: 1509.."