ReviewTranslational lung cancer research2026
Methylated circulating tumor DNA: technical challenges and clinical applications in non-small cell lung cancer patients-a narrative review.
Review in Translational lung cancer research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Objective: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for the majority of cases. Tissue biopsies are invasive and often limited, emphasizing the need for minimally invasive biomarkers. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) obtained through liquid biopsy enables non-invasive tumor profiling. While most applications rely on mutation detection, DNA methylation of ctDNA (Met-ctDNA) represents a promising complementary approach. This review explores technological methods for detecting ctDNA methylation and summarizes its potential clinical applications in NSCLC. Methods: We analyzed recent studies describing methylation detection technologies, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based, sequencing, microarray, and enrichment approaches. We also reviewed evidence on diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive applications of Met-ctDNA, as well as its role in monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD). Key Content and Findings: Technically, sodium bisulfite conversion remains the gold standard, but new bisulfite-free and ultrasensitive strategies are emerging. Clinically, gene-specific hypermethylation (e.g., Conclusions: Met-ctDNA is a versatile, non-invasive biomarker with diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive value in NSCLC. Standardization of methodologies and validation in large-scale prospective trials are essential to enable its integration into routine clinical practice.
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.