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ASCO 2025 | Tissue-free methylation assay for MRD detection in colorectal cancer
John Paul Shen, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses the development and validation of a methylation-based, tissue-free molecular residual disease (tfMRD) assay for colorectal cancer using plasma-only circulating tumor DNA analysis. These findings support tfMRD as a promising alternative when tumor tissue is unavailable or insufficient for standard MRD testing. This interview took place during the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting in Chicago, IL.
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Transcript
We are presenting at this conference a new assay that uses methylation-based measurements of tumor DNA or DNA from the blood to detect minimal residual disease. This is a very complementary assay to tissue-informed testing. Sometimes it’s not possible to have the initial tissue available for sequencing. I specialize in a rare cancer called appendiceal cancer that is often very mucinous and of low cellularity...
We are presenting at this conference a new assay that uses methylation-based measurements of tumor DNA or DNA from the blood to detect minimal residual disease. This is a very complementary assay to tissue-informed testing. Sometimes it’s not possible to have the initial tissue available for sequencing. I specialize in a rare cancer called appendiceal cancer that is often very mucinous and of low cellularity. And so even if you can get a biopsy, sometimes there’s not enough DNA in that biopsy to sequence. And so in this case, having a tissue-agnostic approach is really informative.
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Disclosures
Stock and Other Ownership Interests – Agios; Syndax; Syndax
Consulting or Advisory Role – Engine Biosciences; NaDeNo Nanosciences
Research Funding – BostonGene; Ikena Oncology (Inst)
