Molecular response cutoffs and ctDNA collection timepoints influence on interpretation of associations between early changes in ctDNA and overall survival in patients treated with anti-PD(L)1 and/or chemotherapy

This study supports the potential of ctDNA as an intermediate end point in aNSCLC, with MR at both early (T1) and later (T2) timepoints showing significant associations with OS. Differences in ctDNA dynamics between treatment modalities highlight the importance of considering the timing of blood collection. Further research is needed to determine the optimal time window for assessing ctDNA response. Prospective trials and trial-level meta-analyses will be critical to validating ctDNA as a regulatory-grade intermediate end point for oncology drug development.