ctDNA-MRD Monitoring After Resection in Gastric Cancer

Numerous studies have demonstrated that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based molecular residual disease (MRD) detection has significant clinical value in postoperative recurrence monitoring, adjuvant treatment decision-making, and early intervention. Our previous retrospective study, using fixed ctDNA-MRD, confirmed that postoperative ctDNA-MRD can predict recurrence risk. Therefore, we plan to conduct a further prospective, multicenter, observational study, utilizing a combination of personalized ctDNA-MRD and fixed MRD panels, to dynamically monitor gastric cancer patients who have received neoadjuvant therapy followed by curative resection. The study will systematically analyze the correlation between ctDNA-MRD status and tumor recurrence and metastasis, assess its sensitivity and specificity in recurrence prediction, and compare its early warning advantage over traditional imaging techniques in predicting recurrence.