A research team led by Prof. 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 the Journal of Hematology & Oncology, offers a thorough analysis of recent advancements in ctDNA detection methods and their clinical significance.

Lymphoma, a complex malignancy originating in lymphocytes and lymphoid tissues, poses significant challenges for both diagnosis and treatment due to its diverse pathological subtypes. Traditional tissue biopsies, while valuable, are invasive and often fail to capture the full heterogeneity of the disease.

In contrast, liquid biopsy—specifically ctDNA analysis—has gained attention as a noninvasive alternative to detect tumor-specific genetic and epigenetic alterations, providing a promising tool for more accurate diagnosis and monitoring.

In this review, the researchers highlighted 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.

They provided strong evidence supporting the integration of ctDNA testing into routine clinical practice, which could enhance personalized treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.

The researchers also explored various ctDNA detection technologies, such as PCR-based methods and next-generation sequencing (NGS), both of which offer high sensitivity and specificity for noninvasive 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.