New blood test detects if patients need chemotherapy

In 10 seconds? A blood test for tumor DNA might be a better way to decide what treatments are best for colon cancer patients.

A blood test for tumor DNA? What’s that all about? Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the star of today’s digest. First, let’s break down what that is. DNA, the genetic material that is located in the nucleus of our cells, is unique to each individual and is pretty much the same among all the healthy cells in our bodies (with some exceptions). For cancer to form, multiple mutations must occur in the DNA of those cells, making tumor DNA distinct from the DNA inside of our healthy cells.