Dr. Jani on the evolving role of ctDNA in genitourinary cancers

In this interview, Chinmay Jani, MD, highlights the evolving role of ctDNA in genitourinary (GU) cancers. Jani is a hematology-oncology fellow at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami in Florida.

Video Transcript:

ctDNA has started having a major role in multiple different arenas for GU cancers, including prostate cancer and kidney cancer–RCC to be precise. ctDNA now can be used first of all for diagnostics. It [gives] us a lot of data about different mutations, alterations, and especially the targetable alterations that can be targeted with the treatment. Starting from the role from diagnostics to then utilizing ctDNA for progression of the disease, monitoring of the disease, checking how the outcomes are doing, whether the treatment is working or not [is] the second thing. Then, the third thing, most important one, is the prognosis. We are trying to evaluate the ctDNA role in prognostication as well–whether if we identify particular mutations and alterations, do they play a role in helping us evaluate and understanding whether a patient’s prognosis is great or poor. So, ctDNA has a big role. There's constant data evolving, whether it is more concordant, but I would also say lots of studies are showing that it's complementary along with the tissue diagnosis, because some cancers would have more detectable mutations when we look into liquid biopsy. So, I think the future will tell us more on how liquid biopsy can be complementary along with concordant for GU cancers.

This transcription has been edited for clarity.