Establishing a Common Lexicon for Circulating Tumor DNA Analysis and Molecular Residual Disease: Insights From the BLOODPAC Consortium
The Blood Profiling Atlas in Cancer Consortium (BLOODPAC) has published a new white paper, “Establishing a Common Lexicon for Circulating Tumor DNA Analysis and Molecular Residual Disease: Insights From the BLOODPAC Consortium,” in Clinical Translational Science.
As molecular residual disease (MRD) testing continues to evolve, the need for standardized terminology has become increasingly evident. This paper represents a multi-stakeholder effort to establish a common lexicon for liquid biopsy-based MRD assessment, with a particular focus on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection. The lexicon categorizes terms under general MRD, ctDNA testing methodologies, reporting of results, and acquisition timepoints, including examples of current and potential clinical use cases for MRD tests. Developed through extensive collaboration, this lexicon provides a shared framework to enhance consistency in communication and foster collaboration. The overarching goal is to unify language and approaches to solid tumor MRD, advancing the application of these technologies, enabling data aggregation to strengthen future evidence, and facilitating regulatory approvals, ultimately supporting the use of liquid biopsy as an early endpoint in clinical trials.
