solid tumors

A whole genome-based minimal residual disease (MRD) test, Oncodetect, is now available for patients with solid tumors. The test is designed to detect traces of cancer DNA after treatment, helping clinicians monitor for recurrence earlier than conventional imaging allows. Clinicians and industry observers note it could expand access to genomic MRD monitoring, which has so far been limited mainly to blood cancers and select tumor types.

CAR T-cell therapy, already approved for blood cancers, faces major hurdles in solid tumors, where hostile microenvironments suppress engineered immune cells. A new approach reported in pharmaceutical manufacturing coverage aims to build or arm CAR T cells directly inside tumor tissue, potentially improving persistence and reducing off-target effects. Researchers see in-situ engineering as a promising route to finally extend cell therapy beyond blood cancers, though clinical proof remains limited.