A new study suggests that a simple blood test can detect fragments of tumor DNA in patients who have undergone surgery for melanoma, potentially revealing those at high risk of recurrence. The test uses circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to identify the lingering presence of Stage III melanoma, a metastatic form of skin cancer.
Researchers found that 13% of patients had detectable ctDNA in their blood plasma immediately after surgery, and these patients all experienced cancer recurrence. Patients with rising or persistently high ctDNA levels were more likely to see their melanoma return.
The test’s accuracy was impressive when positive, but less so when negative. A negative test only correctly predicted that the person’s cancer would not return 71% of the time.
If the test is developed and made available for clinical use, it could help doctors flag patients who need aggressive treatment due to a likely recurrence. The study’s senior author believes the test has significant potential for improving melanoma patient outcomes.
The next step is to conduct further testing to demonstrate the test’s clinical utility and determine whether its use leads to better outcomes than traditional methods.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/health/cancer/simple-blood-test-could-reveal-likelihood-of-deadly-skin-cancer-returning-study-suggests