Measurable Residual Disease (MRD)

As cancer cells grow and die, they shed tiny fragments of DNA which enter the peripheral blood circulation as circulating tumor DNA or ctDNA. Detection of ctDNA in peripheral blood (PB) by high throughput sequencing represents a novel and noninvasive approach to detect and quantify disease burden in both solid organ and hematological cancers developed here at Stanford University.

We are currently collaborating with the lab of Dr. David Kurtz to determine if it is possible to using ctDNA as a novel and noninvasive way of detecting measurable residual disease (MRD) in AML patients throughout their disease course.