MRD Testing May Offer Peace of Mind to Breast Cancer Survivors

Minimal residual disease, or MRD, testing may have the potential to offer peace of mind to survivors of breast cancer, as a survivor and a care provider explained in interviews with CURE.

CURE recently sat down for an interview with Mary Royal, a 54-year-old mother of four who received a diagnosis of multicentric breast cancer in 2023.

After a difficult treatment journey, Royal learned through her oncologist about the Personalis NeXT Personal circulating tumor DNA test, which uses a simple blood draw to look for trace fragments of tumor DNA in the blood stream. Since, 10 tests have shown that Royal has no trace of disease.

In the latest installment of her conversation with CURE, Royal discussed her initial hesitance in undergoing the test and the psychological comfort its results now offer her.

CURE also spoke with Dr. Pablo Prichard about issues related to cancer survivorship, including the potential utility of MRD testing. Prichard, a board-certified oncological reconstructive surgeon, is the surgical director at the Vincere Cancer Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“With MRD, or minimal residual disease, testing, it's being able to give, on that periodic basis, that reassurance to the patient that we're looking after you, we're monitoring you,” Prichard said. “This is not something that you need to be constantly fearful and vigilant about. There's a structured plan here that's taking care of you.

“I think that goes a really long way, No. 1 to their psychological health, but also, if there happens to be an early recurrence and you can find it way before imaging would have found it, then you can start treatment way before you would have otherwise, and you're just that far ahead of the game.”

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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