ctDNA as a Biomarker for Treatment in Advanced NSCLC

For patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic non-small cell lung cancers, 4-6 cycles of chemotherapy plus immunotherapy with immune maintenance therapy is currently the standard treatment. Short-course chemotherapy (2 cycles) combined with immunotherapy has been proved effective in some patients. Recently, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has been detected in the cell-free component of peripheral blood samples in advanced non-small cell lung cancers and many other solid tumors. To identify the patients who can benefit from the short-course chemotherapy (2 cycles) combined with immunotherapy, dynamic monitoring of ctDNA in both 4-6 cycles and 2 cycles chemotherapy patients could be a promising alternative test.