The term circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) refers to DNA from malignant cells and tumors that circulate in the bloodstream. The nucleus of a cell contains most of the DNA. Cells die and are replaced by new ones as a tumor expands. The broken-down dead cells discharge their contents, including DNA, into the bloodstream. ctDNA are short segments of DNA that are typically less than 200 nucleotides in length. The amount of ctDNA varies from person to person and is influenced by the type of tumor, its location, and, in the case of malignant tumors, the stage of the disease. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) usually contains genetic changes that could be useful for detecting cancer. Other significant uses of ctDNA include prognosis, therapeutic monitoring, and tumor volume estimation. When new cancer detection tests can spot cancer in its earliest, asymptomatic stage, when cure rates are highest, they have the greatest clinical utility. Circulating tumor DNA analysis can help in the early detection of cancer and is also used in providing molecular targeting therapeutics.
Market Dynamics
Increasing adoption of organic growth strategies, such as product launches by key players in the market to expand their product portfolio, is expected to drive market growth over the forecast period. For instance, in July 2022, BillionToOne Inc., a next-generation molecular diagnostics company, announced the launch of its first oncology liquid biopsy products, Northstar Select and Northstar Response. The products are currently available for research use with select academic cancer centers. Northstar Select is a comprehensive pan-cancer somatic mutation profiling panel. Leveraging BillionToOne’s proprietary molecular counting technology, or Quantitative Counting Templates (QCTs), the panel achieves a notable limit of detection for the identification of actionable alterations. Meanwhile, Northstar Response is a methylation-based, tissue-agnostic treatment response monitoring assay.
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