Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42545412›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2026

Recurrence in Real Time: Rethinking Breast Cancer Follow-Up Evaluation with Circulating Tumor DNA.

Nicole Taylor, York Lin Chew, Tian Sheng Ng, J Alexander Palesty, Beth Sieling, Nicole Sookhan

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Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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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

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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

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Nicole TaylorThe Stanley J. Dudrick Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury, CT, USA. nicole.a.ditommaso@gmail.com.
York Lin ChewThe Stanley J. Dudrick Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury, CT, USA.
Tian Sheng NgThe Stanley J. Dudrick Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury, CT, USA.
J Alexander PalestyThe Stanley J. Dudrick Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury, CT, USA.
Beth SielingThe Stanley J. Dudrick Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury, CT, USA.
Nicole SookhanThe Stanley J. Dudrick Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury, CT, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBreast cancer distant recurrence remains a fear for patients. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has been identified as a possible marker for recurrence using tissue-informed assays. This study sought to describe the differences in patient characteristics between those with detectable ctDNA (+ctDNA) and those with undetectable ctDNA (-ctDNA), as well as the management of +ctDNA patients.

methodsA retrospective chart review included 227 female patients who had undergone surgery for stages I to III breast cancer and elected to undergo Signatera ctDNA-testing at 6-month intervals from January 2022 to May 2025. A comparative analysis between +ctDNA and -ctDNA patients was performed with Fisher's exact test and unpaired t test. A qualitative analysis was used for the +ctDNA patients.

resultsOf the 227 patients, 10 (4.41%) were found to have +ctDNA. The +ctDNA patients had an advanced pathologic stage (p = 0.015) with nodal involvement (p = 0.037). All the +ctDNA patients underwent PET imaging. Of the 10 patients, 7 had metastases and were given systemic therapy. For the remaining three patients, initial metastatic imaging was negative. One of these patients had a repeat ctDNA 6 months later and was found to have an increase in the value. Repeat imaging was obtained and demonstrated metastasis. The second patient opted to be monitored clinically and continue endocrine therapy. The last patient with negative imaging underwent repeat ctDNA testing which was found to be negative and questionable for an initial false-positive result.

conclusionsIn the surveillance of high-risk patients (advanced TNM staging), ctDNA may be valuable.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorBreast NeoplasmsCirculating Tumor DNANeoplasm Recurrence, LocalAdultAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingPrognosisRetrospective StudiesBiomarkers, TumorCirculating Tumor DNABreast cancer recurrenceCirculating tumor DNAPrecision oncologySurveillanceTumor-informed assays

Identifiers

PMID42545412

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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.