A research team led by Professor GU Hongcang from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has published a comprehensive systematic review on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) technologies and their applications in lymphoma.
The study, published in Journal of Hematology & Oncology, offers a thorough analysis of recent advancements in ctDNA detection methods and their clinical significance.
Lymphoma, a complex malignancy that originates in lymphocytes and lymphoid tissues, presents major challenges for diagnosis and treatment due to its diverse pathological subtypes. Traditional tissue biopsies are invasive and often fail to capture the full heterogeneity of the disease. As an alternative, liquid biopsy, specifically ctDNA analysis, has gained attention as a non-invasive technique for detecting tumor-specific genetic and epigenetic alterations.
The review highlights the potential of ctDNA profiling in lymphoma management, including diagnosis, treatment response evaluation, and risk stratification. By analyzing DNA fragments shed by tumor cells into the bloodstream, ctDNA serves as a crucial biomarker for mutation detection, monitoring clonal evolution, and assessing therapeutic effectiveness. The study provides strong evidence supporting the integration of ctDNA testing into routine clinical practice, which could enhance personalized treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.
The paper also explores various ctDNA detection technologies, such as PCR-based methods and next-generation sequencing (NGS), both of which offer high sensitivity and specificity for non-invasive disease monitoring. While much of the focus has been on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), ctDNA analysis shows promise for other lymphoma subtypes, including follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, and central nervous system lymphoma.
With ongoing advancements in ctDNA technologies, the approach is poised to become a standard clinical tool, offering new possibilities for better survival rates and quality of life for lymphoma patients.
Figure 1. Genetic features of ctDNA in lymphoma （Image by FU Lina）
