[Current Status of Molecular Residual Disease Testing in Genitourinary Cancers]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Oncology
• Molecular Diagnostics

Context:

• Robotic surgery and preoperative chemotherapy have improved outcomes for solid tumors.
• Postoperative cancer recurrence remains a significant clinical challenge.
• Current monitoring relies on periodic imaging, which may miss minimal disease.

Purpose:

• To review the current status of molecular residual disease (MRD) testing in urogenital cancers.
• To explore the potential of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis for early recurrence detection.
• To discuss the impact of MRD testing on future urogenital cancer treatment strategies.

Summary:

• Molecular residual disease (MRD) testing, particularly using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) via next-generation sequencing, is emerging as a sensitive method for detecting minimal cancerous lesions.
• MRD testing offers a promising tool for predicting postoperative recurrence in various cancers.
• This review focuses on the application and future implications of MRD testing in the context of urogenital malignancies.

Impact:

• MRD testing has the potential to revolutionize postoperative surveillance for urogenital cancers.
• Early detection of recurrence through MRD could lead to timely and more effective therapeutic interventions.
• This approach may enable personalized treatment strategies based on molecular evidence of residual disease.