What Is Molecular Residual Disease Analysis and Why Is It Clinically Relevant in Colorectal Cancer? — Nursing Video Interview

Faculty

TARGET AUDIENCE
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of oncology nurses, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists involved in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE STATEMENT
By providing information on the latest research developments in the context of expert perspectives, this NCPD activity will assist oncology nurses, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists with the formulation of state-of-the-art clinical management strategies to facilitate optimal care of patients with colorectal cancer.

DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOME
At the conclusion of this activity, the learner will be able to show objective and subjective awareness of the factors affecting patient selection for novel assays and agents in the field of colorectal cancer in order to educate and support patients and their families in decision-making and the patient journey as evidenced by self-reported change in knowledge level in the evaluation provided to learners at the completion of the activity.

At the end of the activity, learners will also be able to

• Develop an understanding of the clinical relevance of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in colorectal cancer (CRC).
• Recognize the scientific rationale for the use of ctDNA to detect molecular residual disease (MRD) in patients with CRC, and provide appropriate patient education.
• Outline optimal approaches to and timing of ctDNA-based assessment of MRD for patients with CRC.
• Appreciate available data documenting the clinical utility of ctDNA testing in risk stratification, surveillance and treatment decision-making for patients with CRC.
• Consider the current and potential role of ctDNA assessment in order to counsel patients with early- and advanced-stage CRC regarding personalized treatment recommendations.

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
Research To Practice (RTP) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation.

CREDIT DESIGNATION STATEMENT
This educational activity for 1 contact hour is provided by RTP during the period of March 6, 2026 to March 6, 2027.

This activity is awarded 1 ANCC pharmacotherapeutic contact hour.

ONCC/ILNA CERTIFICATION INFORMATION
The program content has been reviewed by the ONCC and is acceptable for recertification points. Learners must apply for NCPD credit to utilize this program for ONCC certification or renewal. To review certification qualifications please visit https://www.researchtopractice.com/Meetings/ONU2025/MRDCRC/ILNA.

ONCC review is only for designating content to be used for ILNA points and is not for NCPD accreditation. NCPD programs must be formally approved for contact hours by an acceptable accreditor/approver of nursing CE to be used for recertification by ONCC. If the NCPD provider fails to obtain formal approval to award contact hours by an acceptable accrediting/approval body, no information related to ONCC recertification or ILNA categories may be used in relation to the program.

PRIVACY POLICY
Personal information and data sharing: Research To Practice aggregates deidentified user data for program-use analysis, program development, activity planning and site improvement. We may provide aggregate and deidentified data to third parties, including commercial supporters. We do not share or sell personally identifiable information to any unaffiliated third parties or commercial supporters. Please see our privacy policy at ResearchToPractice.com/Privacy-Policy for more information.

FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION
Video Interview: This NCPD activity consists of a video component. To receive credit, the participant should review the NCPD information, watch the video, complete the post-test with a score of 80% or better and fill out the evaluation located at ResearchToPractice.com/ONU2025/MRDCRC/Video/NCPD.

CONTENT VALIDATION AND DISCLOSURES
Research To Practice (RTP) is committed to providing its participants with high-quality, unbiased and state-of-the-art education. We assess conflicts of interest with faculty, planners and managers of NCPD activities. Conflicts of interest are identified and resolved through a conflict of interest resolution process. In addition, all activity content is reviewed by both a member of the RTP scientific staff and an external, independent reviewer for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies referenced and patient care recommendations.

FACULTY — The following faculty reported relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities:

Christopher Lieu, MD
Professor of Medicine
Associate Director for Clinical Research
Director, GI Medical Oncology
University of Colorado Cancer Center
Aurora, Colorado

Dr Lieu has consulting agreements (to institution) with Pfizer Inc and conducts contracted research (all to institution) for Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Janssen Biotech Inc, Sanofi. All of these relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

EDITOR — Dr Love is president and CEO of Research To Practice. Research To Practice receives funds in the form of educational grants to develop NCPD activities from the following companies: Aadi Bioscience, AbbVie Inc, ADC Therapeutics, Agendia Inc, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Amgen Inc, Array BioPharma Inc, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc, Arvinas, Astellas, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Aveo Pharmaceuticals, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, BeOne, Biotheranostics Inc, A Hologic Company, Black Diamond Therapeutics Inc, Blueprint Medicines, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celcuity, Clovis Oncology, Coherus BioSciences, Corcept Therapeutics Inc, CTI BioPharma, a Sobi Company, Daiichi Sankyo Inc, Eisai Inc, Elevation Oncology Inc, Exact Sciences Corporation, Exelixis Inc, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Genmab US Inc, Geron Corporation, Gilead Sciences Inc, GSK, Helsinn Therapeutics (US) Inc, ImmunoGen Inc, Incyte Corporation, Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Inc, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc, Johnson & Johnson, Karyopharm Therapeutics, Kite, A Gilead Company, Kura Oncology, Legend Biotech, Lilly, MEI Pharma Inc, Merck, Mersana Therapeutics Inc, Mirati Therapeutics Inc, Mural Oncology Inc, Natera Inc, Novartis, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation on behalf of Advanced Accelerator Applications, Novocure Inc, Nuvalent, Nuvation Bio Inc, Pfizer Inc, Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company, Puma Biotechnology Inc, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Revolution Medicines Inc, Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc, R-Pharm US, Sanofi, Seagen Inc, Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC, SpringWorks Therapeutics Inc, Stemline Therapeutics Inc, Sumitomo Pharma America, Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Taiho Oncology Inc, Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA Inc, TerSera Therapeutics LLC, and Tesaro, A GSK Company.

RESEARCH TO PRACTICE NCPD PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, STAFF AND REVIEWERS — Planners, scientific staff and independent reviewers for Research To Practice have no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose.

These educational activities contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the Food and Drug Administration. Research To Practice does not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications and warnings. The opinions expressed are those of the presenters and are not to be construed as those of the publisher or grantor.

These activities are supported by an educational grant from Natera Inc.

Release date: March 6, 2026
Expiration date: March 6, 2027

There is no implied or real endorsement of any product by RTP or the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Bando H et al. A randomized, double-blind, phase III study comparing trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) versus placebo in patients with molecular residual disease following curative resection of colorectal cancer (CRC): The ALTAIR study. Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2025;Abstract LBA22.

Kasi PM et al. Patient-reported outcomes from the BESPOKE CRC study. Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2024;Abstract 54.

Kasi PM et al. BESPOKE study protocol: A multicentre, prospective observational study to evaluate the impact of circulating tumour DNA guided therapy on patients with colorectal cancer. BMJ Open 2021;11(9). Abstract

Kopetz S et al. Encorafenib plus cetuximab with or without binimetinib for BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer: Quality-of-life results from a randomized, three-arm, phase III study versus the choice of either irinotecan or FOLFIRI plus cetuximab (BEACON CRC). Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2020;Abstract 8.

Kotani D et al. Molecular residual disease and efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer. Nat Med 2023;29(1):127-34. Abstract

Morris VK et al. Phase II results of circulating tumor DNA as a predictive biomarker in adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II colon cancer: NRG-GI005 (COBRA) phase II/III study. Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2024;Abstract 5.

Naidoo M et al. ctDNA and adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer: Time to re-invent our treatment paradigm. Cancers (Basel) 2021;13(2):346. Abstract

Nowak JA et al. Prognostic and predictive role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in stage III colon cancer treated with celecoxib: Findings from CALGB (Alliance)/SWOG 80702. Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2025;Abstract LBA14.

Rolfo C, Russo A. Liquid biopsy for early stage lung cancer moves ever closer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2020;17(9):523-4. Abstract

Shah PK et al. Circulating tumor DNA for detection of molecular residual disease (MRD) in patients (pts) with stage II/III colorectal cancer (CRC): Final analysis of the BESPOKE CRC sub-cohort. Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2025;Abstract 15.

Tie J et al. ctDNA-guided adjuvant chemotherapy escalation in stage III colon cancer: Primary analysis of the ctDNA-positive cohort from the randomized AGITG dynamic-III trial (intergroup study of AGITG and CCTG). ASCO 2025;Abstract 3503.

Tie J et al. Adjuvant chemotherapy guided by circulating tumor DNA analysis in stage II colon cancer: The randomized DYNAMIC trial. ASCO 2022;Abstract LBA100.

Tie J et al. Circulating tumor DNA analysis guiding adjuvant therapy in stage II colon cancer. N Engl J Med 2022;386(24):2261-72. Abstract

Yukami H et al. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) dynamics in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) with molecular residual disease: Updated analysis from GALAXY study in the CIRCULATE-JAPAN. ASCO 2024;Abstract 6.