Clinical Utility of Including Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) Monitoring in Standard-of-Care (SOC) Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Surveillance

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Experts discuss how multidisciplinary care, pathology review, surgical quality, and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing together personalize colorectal cancer surveillance and treatment, improving early detection, guiding therapy decisions, reducing patient anxiety, and enhancing long-term outcomes across diverse clinical settings.

The Oncology Surgeon’s Role in Postoperative Surveillance Following CRC Resection

EP. 1: The Oncology Surgeon’s Role in Postoperative Surveillance Following CRC Resection

John H. Strickler, MD;Robert C.G. Martin II, MD, PhD, FACS
August 20th 2025

Experts discuss how postsurgical surveillance for colorectal cancer varies by setting, with multidisciplinary teams leading coordinated care in academic centers, whereas surgeons in rural or resource-limited areas often take on expanded roles to ensure follow-up and monitoring are not compromised.

Communicating the Risk of Disease Relapse to the Patient After Curative CRC Resection

EP. 2: Communicating the Risk of Disease Relapse to the Patient After Curative CRC Resection

John H. Strickler, MD;Robert C.G. Martin II, MD, PhD, FACS
August 20th 2025

Experts discuss how initial postoperative visits after colorectal cancer surgery integrate pathology review, recurrence risk assessment, and timely ctDNA testing to personalize prognosis and guide surveillance, emphasizing the importance of surgical quality indicators and molecular tools in shaping follow-up care.

How Postoperative ctDNA Results Influence Treatment Decisions Following CRC Resection

EP. 3: How Postoperative ctDNA Results Influence Treatment Decisions Following CRC Resection

John H. Strickler, MD;Robert C.G. Martin II, MD, PhD, FACS
August 27th 2025

Experts discuss the pivotal role of ctDNA in postoperative colorectal cancer care, using it alongside pathology and staging to personalize recurrence risk assessment and guide adjuvant therapy decisions, particularly in nuanced cases where ctDNA results and clinical risk factors may not align.

Identifying Patients Requiring Intensive Surveillance Following CRC Resection

EP. 4: Identifying Patients Requiring Intensive Surveillance Following CRC Resection

John H. Strickler, MD;Robert C.G. Martin II, MD, PhD, FACS
August 27th 2025

Experts discuss how postoperative surveillance after colorectal cancer surgery is increasingly personalized by integrating pathologic staging, surgical quality, and ctDNA testing to adjust monitoring intensity, with higher-risk or uncertain cases receiving more aggressive follow-up to optimize early detection and intervention.

Evaluating the Clinical Value of ctDNA Testing in the Longitudinal Management of the CRC Patient

EP. 5: Evaluating the Clinical Value of ctDNA Testing in the Longitudinal Management of the CRC Patient

John H. Strickler, MD;Robert C.G. Martin II, MD, PhD, FACS
September 3rd 2025

Experts discuss the expanding role of ctDNA as a prognostic and predictive tool in colorectal cancer management, emphasizing its ability to personalize postoperative surveillance and treatment decisions—particularly in ambiguous clinical scenarios—while highlighting the need for sensitive assays and thoughtful communication around emotionally challenging results.

The Importance of Multidisciplinary Communication and Care Coordination for the Resected CRC Patient

EP. 6: The Importance of Multidisciplinary Communication and Care Coordination for the Resected CRC Patient

John H. Strickler, MD;Robert C.G. Martin II, MD, PhD, FACS
September 3rd 2025

Experts discuss the critical role of clear pathology communication and risk assessment after colorectal cancer surgery, highlighting how surgical quality, pathologic staging, and timely ctDNA testing guide personalized adjuvant therapy decisions and coordinated long-term surveillance to optimize patient outcomes.