Cancer Liquid Biopsy Monitoring Study

Liquid biopsy is a test done on a sample of blood to examine pieces of DNA from tumor cells circulating in the blood (circulating tumor DNA, ctDNA). The detection of ctDNA in blood may be used to monitor treatment response, disease recurrence, and therapy resistance.

This study seeks to provide evidence that liquid biopsy monitoring provides useful genomic information for oncologists to improve how they treat their patients. Researchers at Sutter Health are collecting serial blood samples from eligible patients with newly diagnosed metastatic melanoma or metastatic lung cancer to monitor ctDNA mutations as participants undergo treatment. All participants will have results from ctDNA testing provided to their treating physicians.