Baseline testing for Precise MRD requires which combination of samples?

Baseline testing for Precise MRD requires which combination of samples?

• A. Blood only
• B. Saliva and blood
• C. Urine and tissue
• D. Tumor tissue and blood

Answer: (D)

Baseline MRD testing hinges on knowing the tumor’s exact genetic alterations so you can detect them again after treatment. To do that, you need tumor tissue to establish the patient-specific mutation profile, and you need a blood sample to monitor those same mutations in circulating tumor DNA over time. Tissue provides the mutations you’ll search for, while blood (plasma) allows sensitive, longitudinal detection of residual disease. Without tumor tissue, you don’t have the exact targets; without blood, you can’t monitor MRD noninvasively. So combining tumor tissue with blood is the necessary approach.

Baseline MRD testing hinges on knowing the tumor’s exact genetic alterations so you can detect them again after treatment. To do that, you need tumor tissue to establish the patient-specific mutation profile, and you need a blood sample to monitor those same mutations in circulating tumor DNA over time. Tissue provides the mutations you’ll search for, while blood (plasma) allows sensitive, longitudinal detection of residual disease. Without tumor tissue, you don’t have the exact targets; without blood, you can’t monitor MRD noninvasively. So combining tumor tissue with blood is the necessary approach.