Circulating tumor DNA validity and potential uses in metastatic breast cancer

Ottavia Amato; Nefeli Giannopoulou; Michail Ignatiadis

doi:10.1038/s41523-024-00626-6

Circulating tumor DNA validity and potential uses in metastatic breast cancer

NPJ Breast Cancer. 2024 Mar 12;10(1):21. doi: 10.1038/s41523-024-00626-6.

Authors

Ottavia Amato^{1

2}, Nefeli Giannopoulou³, Michail Ignatiadis⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DISCOG), University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
² Medical Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCCS, Padova, Italy.
³ Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus.
⁴ Breast Medical Oncology Clinic, Institut Jules Bordet and Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. michail.ignatiadis@hubruxelles.be.

Abstract

Following the first characterization of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the 1990s, recent advances led to its introduction in the clinics. At present, the European Society Of Medical Oncology (ESMO) recommendations endorse ctDNA testing in routine clinical practice for tumor genotyping to direct molecularly targeted therapies in patients with metastatic cancer. In studies on metastatic breast cancer, ctDNA has been utilized for treatment tailoring, tracking mechanisms of drug resistance, and for predicting disease response before imaging. We review the available evidence regarding ctDNA applications in metastatic breast cancer.

Publication types

Review