Highlights
The following key findings represent the core clinical takeaways from the study:
- Tumor-informed ctDNA detection showed a 97% sensitivity in the pre-surgical setting for patients with HPV-independent HNSCC.
- Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) positivity within six weeks of completing adjuvant treatment was associated with a 7-fold increase in the risk of death.
- In the surveillance setting, MRD positivity was associated with an 8-fold increase in recurrence risk, providing a median lead time of five months before clinical or radiologic detection.
- Multivariable analysis confirmed that ctDNA status is an independent prognostic factor, even when accounting for established risk factors like margin status and extracapsular extension.
