In the monitoring of tumor treatment, the specific applications of the cell-free DNA collection tube mainly include the following aspects:

Therapeutic Effect Evaluation

• Chemotherapy Effect Monitoring: During the chemotherapy of tumor patients, blood is regularly collected through the cell-free DNA collection tube, and the mutation of tumor-related genes in it is detected. If the mutation frequency of the originally existing tumor gene gradually decreases or even disappears during the treatment process, it usually indicates that the chemotherapeutic drugs have effectively killed the tumor cells, and the treatment effect is good.
• Evaluation of Targeted Therapy Effect: For patients receiving targeted therapy, the blood collected with this collection tube is used to detect specific gene mutations or gene fusions in the cfDNA. If the treatment is effective, it can be observed that the abundance of driver gene mutations related to tumor growth and proliferation decreases, or the expression level of specific fusion genes reduces.
• Monitoring of Immune Therapy Response: During the immune therapy process, the blood samples collected with the cell-free DNA collection tube can be used to analyze indicators such as tumor mutational burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI). If the TMB decreases or the MSI status improves after the treatment, it may indicate that the immune therapy has activated the body’s anti-tumor immune response, and the treatment is effective.

Tumor Recurrence Monitoring

• Early Recurrence Warning: After the treatment of tumor patients, even if there are no obvious signs of tumor recurrence in the imaging examination, the dynamic changes of cfDNA in the blood may also indicate the risk of recurrence in advance. By regularly collecting blood and detecting tumor-related markers in the cfDNA, if the cfDNA level increases or new tumor-specific gene mutations appear, it may indicate that the tumor cells have started to actively proliferate and there is a possibility of recurrence.
• Detection of Minimal Residual Lesions: After tumor surgery or other treatments, a small amount of tumor cells may remain in the body, and these minimal residual lesions are the root cause of tumor recurrence. The blood collected with the cell-free DNA collection tube can be used to detect trace amounts of tumor cfDNA, helping doctors detect minimal residual lesions in time for early intervention and treatment.

Adjustment of Treatment Plan

• Basis for Drug Adjustment: According to the cfDNA results detected from the blood collected with the cell-free DNA collection tube, doctors can understand the sensitivity and drug resistance of tumor cells to the current treatment drugs. If it is found that tumor cells have drug resistance-related gene mutations or the response to a certain drug is not good, the treatment plan can be adjusted in time, replacing more effective drugs or combining other treatment methods.
• Optimization of Personalized Treatment: The cfDNA characteristics of each tumor patient are different. By continuously monitoring the changes in cfDNA in the blood, doctors can deeply understand the dynamic evolution process of the tumor and formulate a more personalized treatment plan for the patient.

Tracking of Disease Progression

• Monitoring of Tumor Metastasis: When tumor cells metastasize, more cfDNA will be released into the blood circulation. By collecting blood with the cell-free DNA collection tube and detecting the content and characteristics of cfDNA, it can assist in judging whether the tumor has metastasized and the location and extent of metastasis.
• Study on Tumor Heterogeneity: Tumor will produce heterogeneity during its development, that is, there are genetic differences among tumor cells. The blood samples collected with the cell-free DNA collection tube can be used to analyze the gene spectrum of cfDNA to understand the heterogeneity changes inside the tumor and provide a basis for the adjustment of the treatment plan.