How ctDNA can assist in critical nonoperative management decisions

Recent findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine have sparked widespread attention across the oncology community: in patients with mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) locally advanced rectal cancer, a non-operative approach using PD-1 blockade led to sustained clinical complete response. A key element in the study’s design was the use of Haystack MRD® to monitor treatment response and guide patient management. Haystack MRD, a Quest Diagnostics test, is a tumor-informed, next-generation MRD test that detects ultralow levels of ctDNA to uncover residual or recurrent disease.

Join us for an in-depth discussion with Dr Andrea Cercek, lead author in the study, and Dan Edelstein, Vice President and General Manager of Haystack Oncology at Quest Diagnostics, to explore how these results are reshaping cancer care—and what they mean for patients and clinical research.

Highlights:

Nonoperative management: Explore the evolving role of immunotherapy and surveillance in dMMR rectal cancer ·

Response monitoring in real-time: Learn the advantages of highly precise ctDNA testing over traditional imaging and clinical assessment in evaluating treatment efficacy

Practical considerations: Gain insights on how to incorporate ctDNA testing into routine clinical workflows for treatment response monitoring

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Andrea Cercek

Ford Family Chair, Attending Physician, Section Head: Colorectal Cancer & Co-Director: Center for Young Onset Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Cancers, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)

Dr Andrea Cercek is a distinguished physician-scientist and gastrointestinal medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), where she serves as Section Head of Colorectal Cancer and co‑director of the Center for Young Onset Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Cancer—the first clinic of its kind worldwide devoted to treating individuals under 50 with colorectal and related GI cancers. After earning her MD from New York Medical College, she completed her internal medicine residency at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and a hematology/oncology fellowship at MSK. Her clinical expertise spans colon, rectal, anal, appendix, and bile duct cancers, with specialized skills in conducting clinical trials and leveraging immunotherapy.

Dr Cercek has earned significant recognition for her groundbreaking work. She was named to TIME100 Health in both 2024 and 2025 for her innovative immunotherapy trials that allow some patients to avoid surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Her trial on mismatch-repair-deficient cancers revealed that 80% of participants could maintain quality of life without traditional treatments after six months of immunotherapy. She has also received prestigious honors such as the Louise and Allston Boyer Young Investigators Award and the V Foundation's “A Grant of Her Own” for clinical research. Beyond her clinical and research activities, Dr Cercek is an engaged member of leading oncology societies, including ASCO, ESMO, AACR, and the American Society for Clinical Investigation

moderator

Dan Edelstein

Vice President & General Manager, Haystack Oncology at Quest Diagnostics

Dan Edelstein is Vice President and General Manager of Haystack Oncology at Quest Diagnostics. Dan has over 15 years of liquid biopsy clinical development and commercialization experience. He was previously part of the team at Johns Hopkins that pioneered the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect and track the progression of cancer. In 2011, he led the development of the world’s first CLIA laboratory for ctDNA analyses, delivering the first commercially available liquid biopsy assay for clinical practice and prospective clinical trials. Before joining Haystack, Dan developed a deep understanding of the clinical requirements for liquid biopsy product development, market access strategies, clinical utility evidence generation and biopharma partnerships while serving in a number of leadership positions, including Chief Commercial Officer, for liquid biopsy-based diagnostic companies.