New Insights into Adjuvant Therapy for Localized Colon Cancer

Currently, clinicopathologic characteristics of colon cancer tumors guide the selection of patients suitable for adjuvant therapy. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis after surgery has a strong correlation with prognosis, and positive ctDNA status defines a subset of patients with high risk of recurrence. Ongoing interventional adjuvant trials in colon cancer including ctDNA analyses will determine the predictive value of ctDNA in the adjuvant setting. For patients with stage III colon cancer, noninferiority of 3 months of adjuvant therapy compared with 6 months has not been demonstrated. However, for selected subgroups, the shorter duration of therapy may limit toxic effects without impairing clinical outcomes.