Following the first characterization of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the 1990s, recent advances led to its introduction in the clinics. At present, the European Society Of Medical Oncology (ESMO) recommendations endorse ctDNA testing in routine clinical practice for tumor genotyping to direct molecularly targeted therapies in patients with metastatic cancer. In studies on metastatic breast cancer, ctDNA has been utilized for treatment tailoring, tracking mechanisms of drug resistance, and for predicting disease response before imaging. We review the available evidence regarding ctDNA applications in metastatic breast cancer.

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循环肿瘤 DNA 的有效性及其在转移性乳腺癌中的潜在用途

继 20 世纪 90 年代首次对循环肿瘤 DNA (ctDNA) 进行表征之后，最近的进展导致其被引入临床。目前，欧洲肿瘤内科学会 (ESMO) 建议在常规临床实践中采用 ctDNA 检测进行肿瘤基因分型，以指导转移性癌症患者的分子靶向治疗。在转移性乳腺癌的研究中，ctDNA 已被用于治疗定制、追踪耐药机制以及在成像前预测疾病反应。我们回顾了有关 ctDNA 在转移性乳腺癌中应用的现有证据。