Minimal Residual Disease Detection using a Plasma-only Circulating Tumor DNA Assay in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Purpose: Detection of persistent circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) after curative-intent surgery can identify patients with minimal residual disease (MRD) who will ultimately recur. Most ctDNA MRD assays require tumor sequencing to identify tumorderived mutations to facilitate ctDNA detection, requiring tumor and blood. We evaluated a plasma-only ctDNA assay integrating genomic and epigenomic cancer signatures to enable tumoruninformed MRD detection. Experimental Design: A total of 252 prospective serial plasma specimens from 103 patients with colorectal cancer undergoing curative-intent surgery were analyzed and correlated with recurrence. Results: Of 103 patients, 84 [stage I (9.5%), II (23.8%), III (47.6%), IV (19%)] had evaluable plasma drawn after completion of definitive therapy, defined as surgery only (n = 39) or completion of adjuvant therapy (n = 45). In landmark plasma drawn 1-month (median, 31.5 days) after definitive therapy and >1 year follow-up, 15 patients had detectable ctDNA, and all 15 recurred [positive predictive value (PPV), 100%; HR, 11.28 (P < 0.0001)]. Of 49 patients without detectable ctDNA at the landmark timepoint, 12 (24.5%) recurred. Landmark recurrence sensitivity and specificity were 55.6% and 100%. Incorporating serial longitudinal and surveillance (drawn within 4 months of recurrence) samples, sensitivity improved to 69% and 91%. Integrating epigenomic signatures increased sensitivity by 25%-36% versus genomic alterations alone. Notably, standard serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels did not predict recurrence [HR, 1.84 (P = 0.18); PPV = 53.9%]. Conclusions: Plasma-only MRD detection demonstrated favorable sensitivity andspecificity for recurrence, comparablewith tumorinformed approaches. Integrating analysis of epigenomic and genomic alterations enhanced sensitivity. These findings support the potential clinical utility of plasma-only ctDNA MRD detection.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that detection of persistent circulating tumor DNA in plasma shows favorable sensitivity and specificity for predicting recurrence after curative-intent surgery for colorectal cancer. Integrating analysis of genomic and epigenomic signatures enhances the accuracy of detection, supporting the potential clinical utility of plasma-only ctDNA minimal residual disease detection.