title: Circulating tumor DNA moves further into the spotlight.
abstract: Assessment of somatic genomic alterations from tumors can now be performed by sequencing circulating tumor DNA from the cell-free component of blood. This procedure, which identifies tumor-derived somatic mutations from a simple blood sample, circumvents the need for tumor tissue. A recent study highlights the promise of circulating tumor DNA to guide therapeutic decisions in a variety of solid tumors for both clinical and investigative purposes, as well as providing a tool for the early detection of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Personal Genome Diagnostics, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sausen
authors.affiliation: Personal Genome Diagnostics, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parpart
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA ; Swim Across America Laboratory at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Diaz