Gene-Based Blood Test for Melanoma May Catch Early Signs of Cancer’s Return
Source: NYU Langone News, April 2025
Mdying tumor cells may accurately predict skin cancer recurrence, a new study shows.
Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center, the study showed that approximately 80 percent of stage 3 melanoma patients who had detectable levels of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) before they started treatment to suppress their tumors went on to experience recurrence.
The researchers also found that the disease returned more than four times faster in this group than in those with no detectable levels of the biomarker, and the higher their levels, the faster the cancer returned.