Circulating tumor DNA monitoring detects minimal residual disease and predicts outcomes in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma after esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) monitoring shows promise for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD) and predicting prognosis in various cancers, but its role in esophageal cancer (EC) post-esophagectomy is unclear. This study evaluated ctDNA for detecting MRD and predicting outcomes in EC patients.

METHODS

A two-step observational study included 40 EC patients (36 squamous cell carcinoma and 4 adenocarcinoma) undergoing upfront surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by esophagectomy. Plasma samples (n = 124) were collected at six time points, and ctDNA was assessed by next-generation sequencing using an in-house cancer panel. Associations with clinical outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Pre-therapy ctDNA levels correlated with tumor stage (P = 0.01). Changes in ctDNA levels predicted tumor progression with an area under the curve of 0.77. Postsurgical ctDNA positivity predicted recurrence earlier than radiographic evidence (median: 90 days) and was associated with shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) across all patients (RFS hazard ratio [HR]: 11.1, P = 0.006; PFS HR: 12.6, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

ctDNA assessment is a reliable tool for detecting MRD and predicting outcomes in EC patients after esophagectomy. This approach provides earlier indications of recurrence and can guide personalized postoperative management.