Overview

• A large-scale study led by NYU Langone Health validates circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker for predicting melanoma recurrence in stage III patients.
• The study confirms that 80% of patients with detectable ctDNA experienced recurrence, with higher levels linked to a fourfold faster return of the disease.
• The ctDNA test provides a direct measure of tumor burden, outperforming traditional tissue-based analyses in predicting recurrence.
• Researchers plan to enhance the test’s sensitivity to capture all recurrences and further explore its role in guiding treatment decisions.
• The findings, involving nearly 600 patients across multiple continents, represent the largest study to date on ctDNA in stage III melanoma.