On July 29, 2024 Haystack Oncology, a Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) company, reported a research collaboration with Dr. Simon Turcotte, hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon and scientist at Université de Montréal’s affiliated hospital research centre, the CRCHUM, to utilize Haystack Oncology’s personalized MRD technology (Haystack MRD) to evaluate treatment effectiveness in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with metastases confined to the liver (Press release, Quest Diagnostics, JUL 29, 2024, View Source,-the-CRCHUM,-to-Deploy-Haystack-MRD-TM-Technology-in-Research-Study-for-Metastatic-Colorectal-Cancer [SID1234645136]).

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This prospective, observational study, Early Detection of Treatment Failure in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients (eDetect), will use Haystack MRD to assess circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as an early biological marker of treatment response and disease recurrence in patients with mCRC undergoing systemic treatment and liver surgery with curative intent. Haystack MRD is a blood-based liquid biopsy test that measures ctDNA shed into circulation by solid tumors in order to identify residual, recurrent, or resistant cancer, at the earliest possible stage.

"Our collaboration with the CRCHUM presents a valuable opportunity to leverage the performance of our Haystack MRD technology in a population of mCRC patients for whom cure is possible," said Dan Edelstein, Vice President and General Manager of Haystack Oncology. "Designed for detecting ctDNA with exceptional sensitivity, Haystack MRD is well-suited to measure treatment response in oligometastatic CRC patients to better understand how ctDNA can guide the sequence and intensity of therapy in the future."

Université de Montréal’s affiliated hospital research centre, the CRCHUM, is one of North America’s leading hospital research centres. Located in the heart of Montreal, the CRCHUM is a major centre for creation, knowledge generation and training.

"mCRC is a challenging disease in need of improved biomarkers to guide optimal patient care," said Dr. Simon Turcotte, hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon and scientist at the CRCHUM, also principal investigator of the eDetect study. "By teaming up with Haystack, we will be able to understand the best use of the MRD technology to inform treatment decisions. This will guide the design of future interventional trials to assess impact on patient survival."

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Canada and the United States, representing approximately 62,310 related deaths in 2023.1,2 While early-stage CRC can frequently be cured by surgery (with or without adjuvant chemotherapy), mCRC is often treatment-resistant and can be more difficult to address.3

Metastases are the primary cause of colorectal cancer-related mortality, with the liver being the most frequent site for metastasis, followed by the lung. Patients presenting with metastases confined to the liver represent a unique clinical opportunity to pursue surgery with intent to cure. However, even after surgery with no evidence of residual tumor by medical imaging, 80% of patients relapse. A more sensitive diagnostic tool, such as ctDNA, is needed to detect whether residual microscopic cancer cells remain after surgery, to detect relapse earlier than medical imaging so as to treat before the disease burden is too high, and to know as early as possible whether chemotherapy is effective to limit unnecessary use and side effects.