Role of circulating tumor DNA in the management of patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is DNA fragment shed from tumor cells and can be isolated from peripheral blood. ctDNA carries genomic information of cancer and is the most widely utilized indicator in liquid biopsy. The application of ctDNA is gaining traction due to its reproducible, non-invasive, and easy-to-obtain characteristics. With the development of detection approaches, ctDNA plays an important role in the management of patients with cancers. In this review, we summarize the basic ctDNA detection measurements and review its application in early screening, prognosis evaluation after the surgery, and efficacy prediction of different therapies in non-small cell lung cancer.