About this Research Topic
In recent years, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has held great promise as a sensitive biomarker to tumor diagnosis, prognosis and response monitoring of many treatment modalities. There is a lot of evidence to support the use of these sensitive biomarkers in the detection of residual disease and the diagnosis of recurrence, as well as the tumor-specific adjuvant therapies and targeted therapies. CtDNA is also an inherently specific and highly sensitive biomarker of metastatic cancers. Therefore, the use of ctDNA as a liquid biopsy may indicate a new era in tumor management.
Although recent advances show that ctDNA can largely improve diagnosis, prognosis, and response monitoring of cancer patients as well as targeted therapies, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed. For example, we need i) to provide more evidence regarding ctDNA biological features (i.e. size, existing form, and the mechanism of ctDNA release), ii) to increase the method sensitivity for ctDNA detection, and iii) to conduct different clinical trials and large, multi-center cohorts in order to validate its translation into routine clinical practice.
We welcome contributions (original research and critical reviews) that provide original insights and critical perspectives addressing such themes as:
1. Applying the ctDNA analysis as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of cancers
2. Clinical trials assessing patient outcomes resulting from ctDNA-guided clinical decisions
3. Applying methylated ctDNA in blood for cancer prognosis and response
4. Enabling the implementation of ctDNA into cancer clinical management
5. The clinical validity of ctDNA as a biomarker for metastatic cancers
6. CtDNA biology and dynamics in metastatic cancers
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) will not be accepted in Frontiers in Oncology.
Although recent advances show that ctDNA can largely improve diagnosis, prognosis, and response monitoring of cancer patients as well as targeted therapies, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed. For example, we need i) to provide more evidence regarding ctDNA biological features (i.e. size, existing form, and the mechanism of ctDNA release), ii) to increase the method sensitivity for ctDNA detection, and iii) to conduct different clinical trials and large, multi-center cohorts in order to validate its translation into routine clinical practice.
We welcome contributions (original research and critical reviews) that provide original insights and critical perspectives addressing such themes as:
1. Applying the ctDNA analysis as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of cancers
2. Clinical trials assessing patient outcomes resulting from ctDNA-guided clinical decisions
3. Applying methylated ctDNA in blood for cancer prognosis and response
4. Enabling the implementation of ctDNA into cancer clinical management
5. The clinical validity of ctDNA as a biomarker for metastatic cancers
6. CtDNA biology and dynamics in metastatic cancers
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) will not be accepted in Frontiers in Oncology.
Keywords: ctDNA, Cancer Therapy, Response, Monitoring, Biomarker
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
