Early Detection and Personalized Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: The Promise of Whole Genome Sequencing-Based Circulating Tumor DNA Tracking” ###

###
1. ctDNA Analysis for Colorectal Cancer: Measuring ctDNA in blood can help identify whether people with colorectal cancer need chemotherapy after surgery, potentially reducing unnecessary treatment and side effects.
2. WGS-Based ctDNA Tracking: Whole genome sequencing can detect up to 1800 variants, enhancing the sensitivity of ctDNA detection and enabling early detection of minimal residual disease (MRD).
3. Personalized Assays: Patient-specific, tumor-informed variant signatures can be used to design personalized multiplex assays, increasing the sensitivity of variant detection and guiding treatment decisions.
4. MRD Detection: WGS-based assays have demonstrated the ability to detect ctDNA in parts-per-million, surpassing the limit of detection of non-WGS-based methods and enabling the identification of MRD that was previously undetectable.
5. Clinical Applications: ctDNA analysis has far-reaching potential applications, including diagnosing cancers earlier, customizing treatments, associating DNA levels with treatment response, identifying mechanisms of resistance, and measuring MRD after treatment.