Overview

Genomic assays have emerged as valuable tools in clinical practice for early breast cancer, providing important information for risk stratification and guiding adjuvant therapy choices in conjunction with traditional clinical assessments.¹ Molecular residual disease (MRD) is postulated to be associated with disease recurrence in breast cancer and can potentially be identified by detecting circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood.² Recent technological advances have improved our ability to detect ctDNA, and studies suggest that it can be identified in early-stage breast cancers, despite its low levels in the bloodstream.³ However, there is still a need to increase sensitivity, especially in hormone receptor-positive (HR+) early breast cancer.³ With multiple prospective clinical trials in this setting currently ongoing, MRD testing may offer new possibilities for disease monitoring and subsequent treatment decisions.^2,3 Distinguished oncology experts Dr Hiroji Iwata (Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan) and Prof Sherene Loi (Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia) lead the discussion, providing insights into the clinical impact of genomic assays, their evolving role in early breast cancer, and the future potential of MRD testing in patient management.