SynthesisFrontiers in oncology2026
Accuracy of ctDNA-based minimal residual disease detection in predicting postoperative recurrence of breast cancer: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Post-neoadjuvant and peri-operative ctDNA-defined minimal residual disease in triple-negative breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Breast cancer research and treatment · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has attracted growing attention for predicting postoperative breast cancer recurrence; however, the differences between the landmark and surveillance strategies remain unclear. Methods: We systematically searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Ovid MEDLINE databases for studies published up to April 17, 2025. Effect models were selected based on heterogeneity tests to pool diagnostic indicators, including sensitivity and specificity. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to molecular subtype, detection method, analytical strategy, and disease stage. Results: A total of 17 studies were included in the analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of the landmark strategy were 0.40 (95% CI: 0.22-0.62) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.81-0.99), respectively. For the surveillance strategy, sensitivity was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.85) and specificity was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.92-0.99). The surveillance strategy significantly improved sensitivity without a substantial loss of specificity. Among molecular subtypes, triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC) exhibited the best performance under the surveillance strategy. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS), droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), and whole-exome sequencing (WES) all demonstrated high sensitivity within the surveillance framework. Conclusion: ctDNA serves as a highly specific biomarker for predicting postoperative breast cancer recurrence. The surveillance strategy substantially improves its sensitivity; however, the current performance remains below the ideal threshold for clinical implementation. Future research should focus on refining detection strategies and technologies to achieve personalized recurrence risk stratification and guide therapeutic decision-making. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD420251056270.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.