ArticleMolecular oncology2026
Detection of circulating tumor DNA in colorectal cancer patients using a methylation-specific droplet digital PCR multiplex.
Article in Molecular oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Review
- A New Era of Salvage-Line Treatment for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The Role and Clinical Significance of Circulating Tumor DNA.Biomolecules · 2026Review
- Circulating tumor DNA in neoadjuvant therapy for solid tumors.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Despite the use of conventional biomarkers and imaging methods for treatment monitoring of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, limitations remain in detecting minimal residual disease and early relapse. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) offers a promising noninvasive and cost-effective alternative for monitoring disease progression and relapse, potentially improving patient outcomes. In this study, we developed a methylation-specific droplet digital PCR (MS-ddPCR) multiplex assay designed to detect ctDNA through a combination of tumor-specific and tissue-conserved methylation markers. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of this assay in patients with CRC and assess ctDNA dynamics as a prognostic tool in those with metastatic CRC (mCRC). The assay demonstrated high specificity (96.7%) and sensitivity in detecting ctDNA in both patients with localized tumors (64.4%) and mCRC (89.2%). Notably, ctDNA dynamics from baseline to after the first treatment cycle were significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in mCRC. Classifying patients based on ctDNA-RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) and the percent reduction in ctDNA fraction revealed pronounced differences in PFS and OS. Median PFS and OS were 11.4 and 35.3 months for good responders compared with 7.6 (HR = 1.71, 95% CI 0.9-3.25) and 18.4 (HR = 2.15, 95% CI 1.16-3.99) for poor responders, while patients with progressive disease had a median PFS and OS of 5.1 (HR = 4.36, 95% CI 1.91-9.92) and 6.85 (HR = 4.73, 95% CI 2.09-10.7) months. Our multiplex MS-ddPCR assay provides a sensitive, cost-effective approach for detecting and quantifying ctDNA in CRC patients, especially in metastatic disease. The ability to monitor ctDNA dynamics holds potential for early treatment response assessment, prognosis, and guiding personalized therapeutic strategies, making it a valuable tool for clinical practice.
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.