Haystack Oncology, a Quest Diagnostics company, has announced a new research partnership with Dr. Simon Turcotte, a hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon and scientist at Université de Montréal's affiliated research center, the CRCHUM.

This collaboration will use Haystack Oncology’s personalized MRD technology (Haystack MRD™) to assess treatment effectiveness in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have liver-confined metastases.

The study, named Early Detection of Treatment Failure in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients (eDetect), aims to utilize Haystack MRD to monitor circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as an early marker for treatment response and disease recurrence.

This blood-based liquid biopsy test detects ctDNA from solid tumors, allowing for the early identification of residual, recurrent, or resistant cancer.

“Collaboration with CRCHUM represents an important opportunity to apply our Haystack MRD technology to mCRC patients who might benefit from a curative approach.

Designed to detect ctDNA with high sensitivity, Haystack MRD is ideally suited for evaluating treatment responses in patients with oligometastatic CRC and could guide future therapy decisions.”

CRCHUM, based in Montreal, is a leading research center known for its contributions to medical science and training.

“Metastatic colorectal cancer is a challenging condition that needs improved biomarkers for effective patient management. Partnering with Haystack will help us determine how best to use MRD technology to guide treatment decisions and design future trials to improve patient outcomes.”

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Canada and the United States, with around 62,310 deaths reported in 2023.

Although early-stage colorectal cancer can often be cured through surgery and sometimes chemotherapy, mCRC frequently resists treatment and remains difficult to manage.

Liver metastases, being the most common site for cancer spread, present a chance for surgical cure. Nevertheless, 80% of patients relapse even after surgery and clear imaging.

Advanced diagnostic tools like ctDNA are essential for detecting residual cancer cells post-surgery, identifying relapse earlier than imaging alone, and evaluating chemotherapy effectiveness to avoid unnecessary treatments and side effects.






Source: questdiagnostics

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