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Review
. 2022 Apr 30;14(9):2252.
doi: 10.3390/cancers14092252.

The Prognostic Importance of ctDNA in Rectal Cancer: A Critical Reappraisal

Edina Dizdarevic  1   2 , Torben Frøstrup Hansen  1   2 , Anders Jakobsen  1   2
Affiliations
Review

The Prognostic Importance of ctDNA in Rectal Cancer: A Critical Reappraisal

Edina Dizdarevic et al. Cancers (Basel). .

Abstract

The treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) has evolved during the last decades, but recurrence remains a problem. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may result in an individualized treatment approach with improved survival and quality of life, but diverging results impede further development. In this systematic review, we addressed the quality of reporting and its impact on the interpretation of ctDNA results. We performed a systematic literature search using subject headings and search terms related to ctDNA and rectal cancer. The Quality of Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool was used to assess bias. Nine studies, with substantial heterogeneity, were included in the analysis. Three out of nine articles had moderate or high risk of bias. No association was found between treatment response and ctDNA status at baseline. There was a negative association between ctDNA positivity at baseline, before and after surgery and survival. The ctDNA status may be of importance to the long-term prognosis, but the area of research is new and is short of dedicated studies. There is an obvious need for standardization in ctDNA research, and the issue should be addressed in future research.

Keywords: QUIPS; biomarkers; colorectal cancer; ctDNA; liquid biopsy; rectal cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flow diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Green indicates low risk, yellow indicates moderate and red indicates high risk of bias according to QUIPS.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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