SynthesisBritish journal of cancer2026
Circulating tumour DNA for a minimal residual disease assessment and recurrence risk in hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in British journal of cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Immunotherapy-Based Conversion to Curative-Intent Treatment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multidisciplinary Framework.Cancers · 2026Review
- Development and validation of a multiplexed targeted HILIC-HRMS assay for quantitative analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma circulating biomarkers.Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry · 2026Article
- Review
- Review
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- Tissue and blood-based predictive biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma immunotherapy: synthesis of 2023-2026 evidence and a proposed clinical integration framework.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Review
- Advancing gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis and treatment: a narrative review of circulating tumor DNA in gastrointestinal malignancies.Translational gastroenterology and hepatology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) relapse remains high after curative-intent treatment due to occult minimal residual disease. Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a noninvasive biomarker. Systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library up to November 2024 identified studies evaluating plasma ctDNA in non-metastatic HCC patients undergoing curative-intent treatment. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were pooled using random-effects models; sensitivity and specificity for predicting recurrence were summarised. Ten retrospective studies (n = 793) met inclusion criteria. Postoperative ctDNA positivity was associated with shorter RFS (HR 4.48; 95% CI 2.56-7.82; I² = 78%; p < 0.001) and worse OS (HR 2.99; 95% CI 1.94-4.61; I² = 47%; p < 0.001). Baseline ctDNA detection predicted reduced RFS (HR 3.54; 95% CI 1.97-6.38; I² = 35%; p < 0.001). Sensitivity ranged 33-82% and specificity 41-100%, reflecting methodological heterogeneity. Leave-one-out analyses confirmed robustness. Plasma ctDNA is a potent prognostic marker of recurrence and survival in non-metastatic HCC. Prospective trials incorporating ctDNA could optimise postoperative surveillance and guide adjuvant therapy selection.
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