Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42236991›Full record

SynthesisDigestive diseases and sciences2026

Prognostic Value of Circulating Tumor DNA-Based Minimal Residual Disease for Recurrence-Free Survival in Resectable Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Serial Monitoring Analysis.

Abdul Ahad Mehboob, Abdul Ghani Iqbal, Tooba Shaukat Butt, Atta Ullah Khan, Syed Yousaf Kazmi

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Digestive diseases and sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Abdul Ahad MehboobDepartment of Pathology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
Abdul Ghani IqbalDepartment of Medicine, Nash General Hospital, Rocky Mount, NC, USA.
Tooba Shaukat ButtDepartment of Internal Medicine, United Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan.
Atta Ullah KhanDepartment of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138, Naples, Italy. attaullah.khan@unicampania.it.
Syed Yousaf KazmiDepartment of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, 11952, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCirculating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based minimal residual disease (MRD) is an emerging biomarker, but its utility in resectable gastric cancer remains incompletely characterized.

methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of eight studies (520 patients) to evaluate the prognostic value of ctDNA-based MRD for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in resectable gastric cancer.

resultsIn localized resectable gastric cancer (Stage I-III), the setting in which postoperative ctDNA most coherently represents true molecular residual disease after curative-intent surgery, postoperative ctDNA positivity was associated with diminished recurrence-free survival (RFS: HR 12.26, 95% CI 3.30-45.52) and overall survival (OS: HR 8.57, 95% CI 3.06-23.98). The test for subgroup differences between localized and mixed-stage cohorts was not statistically significant (P = 0.57), and the numerically higher HR in the localized subgroup should therefore not be interpreted as evidence of a quantitatively stronger prognostic effect. Postoperative ctDNA detection demonstrated substantially stronger prognostic value (overall RFS: HR 10.00, 95% CI 4.53-22.10) compared to preoperative assessment (HR 2.17, 95% CI 1.10-4.28). Both tumor-informed and tumor-agnostic strategies effectively stratified high-risk patients. However, these effect sizes should be interpreted cautiously given the small number of studies and substantial heterogeneity (I

conclusionsPostoperative ctDNA-based MRD shows a consistent adverse prognostic association in resectable gastric cancer, with localized disease (Stage I-III) representing the most biologically and clinically coherent setting for interpretation. However, the large pooled hazard ratios (HR 10.00-12.26) should be interpreted as a directionally consistent signal rather than precise quantitative estimates, given the small number of studies, wide confidence intervals, and substantial heterogeneity (I

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorCirculating Tumor DNAStomach NeoplasmsDisease-Free SurvivalGastrectomyHumansNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalNeoplasm, ResidualPredictive Value of TestsPrognosisBiomarkers, TumorCirculating Tumor DNACirculating tumor DNAGastric cancerLiquid biopsyMeta-analysisMinimal residual diseasePrognosis

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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.