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A Laboratory Test (Circulating Tumor DNA Assay) for Guiding Treatment Decisions in Patients with Refractory Metastatic Colon or Rectal Cancer

Trial Status: administratively complete

This phase II trial evaluates whether a circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) test is more effective than the standard image-guided approach at finding the best clinical treatment for patients with colon or rectal cancer that has not responded to previous treatment (refractory) or that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). ctDNA refers to DNA that comes from cancerous cells and tumors. As these cells die and are replaced by new ones, they release their DNA into the bloodstream. A ctDNA test measures the amount of ctDNA found in the bloodstream from cancerous cells and tumors and is an indication of how the cancer is progressing. The typical method of determining whether cancer is responding to treatment is using repeat imaging scans with tumor measurements approximately every 12 weeks. Because the ctDNA test only requires a blood sample, it can be performed more frequently and easily, potentially allowing treatment changes to be made sooner. The ctDNA test may be better at finding the best clinical treatment more efficiently and with less exposure to negative side effects than the current practice of routine imaging.