Circulating tumour DNA as a prognostic biomarker in predicting breast cancer outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Fragmented DNA is constantly released into the circulation by apoptosis and necrosis of both cancerous and non-cancerous cell. When it is released by cancer cells, it is specifically known as circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the clinical utility of ctDNA as a prognostic biomarker in predicting breast cancer outcomes.