Renal Cancer Monitoring Based on ctDNA Methylomics: A Prospective Cohort Study (MEMORY Study)

To conduct prospective studies to confirm the value of circulating tumor DNA and its abnormal methylation in longitudinal monitoring of patients undergoing kidney cancer surgery.

Some studies have shown the potential of ctDNA in renal cancer monitoring, but the amount of ctDNA released in renal cancer is the lowest among non-cranial tumors. Even in advanced patients, the detection rate of tumor system mutation is less than 50%. DNA methylation is important in the process of tumor occurrence and development. However, no studies have focused on the value of ctDNA methylation in monitoring renal cancer, nor have large prospective cohort studies been conducted in patients with renal cancer. This study intended to analyze the dynamic changes of circulating tumor DNA and its methylation status in patients with kidney cancer from preoperative to long-term follow-up, and to compare the evaluation value of methylation detection with traditional imaging examination and traditional blood tumor markers in the monitoring process.