Researchers at NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Centre developed an advanced gene-based blood test that may identify early signs of cancer’s return.
The test monitors DNA fragments shed by dying tumour cells, offering a promising method for predicting skin cancer’s return.
In a study involving 600 individuals with stage three melanoma, the presence of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) before treatment was linked to an 80% likelihood of cancer recurrence.
Also, people with detectable ctDNA experienced a faster return of the disease compared to individuals without the biomarker.
The study further revealed that nearly all patients with detectable ctDNA at intervals of three, six, nine, or 12 months into treatment faced melanoma recurrence.
The appearance of gene fragments post-therapy could signal disease progression, according to the researchers.
According to the researchers, stage-3 melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer form, involves tumour cells spreading to nearby lymph nodes.
Traditional imaging methods like X-rays and CT scans often struggle to detect recurrence after lymph node removal.
The ctDNA approach targets common mutations in melanoma cells, with mutated DNA entering the bloodstream as cells break down.
Blood samples from clinical trials in Australia, Europe, and North America were used to compare ctDNA measurements with clinical evidence of cancer recurrence.
The analysis accounted for variables such as age, sex, and therapy type, demonstrating that ctDNA assessment rivals or surpasses other experimental tests.
The study lead author Mahrukh Syeda said: “Our findings suggest that circulating tumour DNA tests could help oncologists identify which melanoma patients are most likely to respond well to therapy. In the future, such assessments may be used routinely in the clinic to help guide treatment decisions.”
The study’s senior author and dermatologist David Polsky said: “Unlike standard tissue-based analyses of tumour cells, which can only suggest the likelihood of recurrence, circulating tumour DNA tests provide a clear, direct measure of the disease itself and can tell us outright that melanoma has returned.”
