Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma is a challenging disease due to its poor prognosis and the presence of few therapeutic options. For these reasons, it is mandatory to identify the subgroup of patients who are at high risk for relapse after curative-intention surgery. In the last years, liquid biopsy has aroused great interest in cancer treatment for its feasibility and the possibility to capture tumor heterogeneity in a real-time way. In postoperative setting, the interest is directed to the identification of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD), defined as isolated or small cluster of cancer cells that residues after curative-intention surgery, and are undetectable by conventional radiological and clinical exams. This review wants to summarize current evidence on the use of liquid biopsy in gastroesophageal cancer, focusing on the detection of ctDNA in the postoperative setting and its potential role as a guide for treatment decision.
Keywords: Esophageal cancer; Gastric cancer; Liquid biopsy; Minimal residual disease; ctDNA.
© 2022. Italian Society of Surgery (SIC).