Targeting minimal residual disease: a path to cure?

Marlise R Luskin1, Mark A Murakami1, Scott R Manalis2

  • 1Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.

Nature Reviews. Cancer
|January 30, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Targeting minimal residual disease (MRD) is crucial for cancer cure. New single-cell methods can detect and predict MRD sensitivity, potentially improving patient outcomes and leading to remission.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Therapeutics
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Cancer treatments targeting kinases, transcriptional modifiers, and immune checkpoints are revolutionizing care.
  • Many patients achieve remission but retain minimal residual disease (MRD), leading to relapse.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore novel functional approaches for characterizing clonal heterogeneity.
  • To predict the therapeutic sensitivity of MRD at a single-cell level.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing advanced single-cell analysis techniques.
  • Developing methods for iterative detection and profiling of MRD.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated the ability to characterize MRD heterogeneity.
  • Showcased potential for predicting MRD therapeutic sensitivity.

Conclusions:

  • Iterative detection, profiling, and targeting of MRD show promise for improving cancer treatment outcomes.
  • These approaches may lead to a functional cure for cancer by eradicating MRD.

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