Predictive Utility of ctDNA in Melanoma Spurs Calls for Its Inclusion in Clinical Trials
Source: Cancer Therapy Advisor, May 2019
The detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) before surgery independently predicted survival outcomes among patients with high-risk stage III melanoma in a study recently published in the Annals of Oncology.1 Although further validation is required, the study findings, along with the growing body of evidence that shows the prognostic utility of ctDNA in melanoma, reinforce the need for ctDNA analysis to be included in clinical trial design.2,3
“Patients with melanoma that has spread to nearby lymph nodes undergo surgery to remove the cancer followed by systemic treatment to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence,” explained Helen Rizos, PhD, faculty of medicine and health sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, during an interview with Cancer Therapy Advisor. “Selecting the best follow-up treatment for each patient — that is, an effective treatment with the fewest side effects — is particularly important, as some patients may be cured by surgery alone,” she said.