Mass General Brigham Launches Two Clinical Trials to Study Haystack MRD ctDNA as Guide for Post-surgical Treatment for Two Cancer Types
Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) subsidiary Haystack Oncology announced a research collaboration with Mass General Brigham to conduct two clinical trials studying Haystack MRD鈩�, a ctDNA minimal residual disease test. The trials will investigate the test's effectiveness in guiding post-surgical treatment decisions for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and HPV-independent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
The studies will analyze patient samples at multiple timepoints to evaluate Haystack MRD's clinical utility. A recent NEJM study showed the test could identify clinical complete response at 1.4 months compared to over six months using imaging tests. According to a Harris Poll, 96% of oncologists believe MRD testing can detect cancer recurrence earlier than traditional methods.
La controllata di Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX), Haystack Oncology, ha annunciato una collaborazione di ricerca con Mass General Brigham per condurre due studi clinici sul test Haystack MRD鈩�, un esame di malattia residua minima basato su ctDNA. Gli studi valuteranno l'efficacia del test nel guidare le decisioni terapeutiche post-chirurgiche per il carcinoma squamoso cutaneo (CSCC) e il carcinoma squamoso della testa e del collo HPV-indipendente (HNSCC).
Le ricerche analizzeranno campioni dei pazienti in diversi momenti per determinare l'utilit脿 clinica di Haystack MRD. Uno studio recente pubblicato su NEJM ha mostrato che il test pu貌 identificare una risposta clinica completa a 1,4 mesi, rispetto a oltre sei mesi con esami di imaging. Secondo un sondaggio Harris Poll, il 96% degli oncologi ritiene che il test MRD possa rilevare una recidiva tumorale prima dei metodi tradizionali.
La filial de Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX), Haystack Oncology, anunci贸 una colaboraci贸n de investigaci贸n con Mass General Brigham para llevar a cabo dos ensayos cl铆nicos que estudian Haystack MRD鈩�, una prueba de enfermedad residual m铆nima basada en ctDNA. Los ensayos investigar谩n la efectividad de la prueba para guiar las decisiones de tratamiento postquir煤rgico en carcinoma de c茅lulas escamosas cut谩neo (CSCC) y carcinoma de c茅lulas escamosas de cabeza y cuello independiente de HPV (HNSCC).
Los estudios analizar谩n muestras de pacientes en varios momentos para evaluar la utilidad cl铆nica de Haystack MRD. Un estudio reciente en NEJM mostr贸 que la prueba puede identificar una respuesta cl铆nica completa a los 1,4 meses, en comparaci贸n con m谩s de seis meses utilizando pruebas de imagen. Seg煤n una encuesta de Harris Poll, el 96% de los onc贸logos cree que la prueba MRD puede detectar la recurrencia del c谩ncer antes que los m茅todos tradicionales.
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鞐瓣惮電� 鞐煬 鞁滌爯鞐愳劀 頇橃瀽 靸橅攲鞚� 攵勳劃頃橃棳 Haystack MRD鞚� 鞛勳儊鞝� 鞙犾毄靹膘潉 韽夑皜頃╇媹雼�. 斓滉芳 NEJM 鞐瓣惮鞐愳劀電� 鞚� 瓴�靷皜 鞓侅儊 瓴�靷炒雼� 牍犽ジ 1.4臧涤洈 毵岇棎 鞛勳儊鞝� 鞕勳爠 氚橃潙鞚� 頇曥澑頃� 靾� 鞛堨潓鞚� 氤挫棳欤检棃鞀惦媹雼�. Harris Poll 臁办偓鞐� 霐半ゴ氅� 96%鞚� 膦呾枒頃欖瀽臧� MRD 瓴�靷皜 旮办〈 氚╇矔氤措嫟 鞎� 鞛皽鞚� 雿� 牍Μ 臧愳頃� 靾� 鞛堧嫟瓿� 氙筷碃 鞛堨姷雼堧嫟.
La filiale de Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX), Haystack Oncology, a annonc茅 une collaboration de recherche avec Mass General Brigham pour mener deux essais cliniques 茅tudiant Haystack MRD鈩�, un test de maladie r茅siduelle minimale bas茅 sur l鈥橝DN tumoral circulant (ctDNA). Ces essais 茅valueront l鈥檈fficacit茅 du test pour orienter les d茅cisions de traitement post-chirurgical dans le carcinome 茅pidermo茂de cutan茅 (CSCC) et le carcinome 茅pidermo茂de HPV-ind茅pendant de la t锚te et du cou (HNSCC).
Les 茅tudes analyseront des 茅chantillons de patients 脿 plusieurs moments pour 茅valuer l鈥檜tilit茅 clinique de Haystack MRD. Une 茅tude r茅cente publi茅e dans le NEJM a montr茅 que le test pouvait identifier une r茅ponse clinique compl猫te en 1,4 mois, contre plus de six mois avec les examens d鈥檌magerie. Selon un sondage Harris Poll, 96 % des oncologues estiment que le test MRD peut d茅tecter la r茅cidive du cancer plus t么t que les m茅thodes traditionnelles.
Die Tochtergesellschaft von Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX), Haystack Oncology, hat eine Forschungspartnerschaft mit Mass General Brigham angek眉ndigt, um zwei klinische Studien durchzuf眉hren, die Haystack MRD鈩�, einen ctDNA-Test f眉r minimale Resterkrankung, untersuchen. Die Studien sollen die Wirksamkeit des Tests bei der Steuerung von postoperativen Behandlungsentscheidungen f眉r kutanes Plattenepithelkarzinom (CSCC) und HPV-unabh盲ngiges Kopf-Hals-Plattenepithelkarzinom (HNSCC) untersuchen.
Die Studien analysieren Patientenproben zu mehreren Zeitpunkten, um den klinischen Nutzen von Haystack MRD zu bewerten. Eine k眉rzlich in NEJM ver枚ffentlichte Studie zeigte, dass der Test eine klinische Komplettremission bereits nach 1,4 Monaten erkennen kann, im Vergleich zu 眉ber sechs Monaten mit bildgebenden Verfahren. Laut einer Harris-Umfrage glauben 96 % der Onkologen, dass MRD-Tests eine Krebsr眉ckkehr fr眉her als traditionelle Methoden erkennen k枚nnen.
- Clinical validation through partnership with prestigious Mass General Brigham institutions
- Haystack MRD test shows potential to detect cancer response 4.6 months earlier than imaging
- Strong oncologist support with 96% believing in MRD testing's early detection capabilities
- Expansion into new cancer types (CSCC and HNSCC) broadens market opportunity
- Clinical trials still in early stages with outcomes pending
- No immediate revenue impact as studies are just beginning
Insights
Quest's Haystack MRD cancer test enters important clinical validation phase for two cancer types with major research institutions.
This collaboration between Quest Diagnostics' Haystack Oncology and Mass General Brigham represents a strategic advancement in Quest's liquid biopsy portfolio. The partnership aims to validate Haystack MRD's clinical utility in two specific cancer types: cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and HPV-independent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
The technology uses highly sensitive circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection to identify minimal residual disease post-treatment - essentially detecting molecular traces of cancer before conventional imaging can. Recent research cited in the release showed Haystack MRD could identify complete response at a median of 1.4 months versus over six months with traditional imaging, representing a potential 4.6-month advantage in treatment decision-making.
Quest's strategic positioning here is notable. The oncology liquid biopsy market is expected to grow significantly, and validating their technology in these specific indications extends their addressable market. The collaboration with prestigious institutions adds credibility to their technology's clinical potential. Additionally, the study results mentioned in The New England Journal of Medicine provide early validation of the test's capabilities.
If these trials demonstrate clear clinical utility, Quest would likely see enhanced adoption among oncologists, particularly given the survey data showing 96% of oncologists believe MRD testing can identify recurrence earlier than traditional methods. This potential to influence treatment decisions could create significant diagnostic revenue opportunities in oncology care pathways, though commercial impact remains contingent on trial results and subsequent reimbursement decisions.
"Cancer liquid biopsy has the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) soon after therapy鈥攈elping to better personalize patient care," said Dan Faden, MD, FACS, head and neck surgical oncologist and scientist at Mass Eye and Ear, and a leading expert in head and neck cancer liquid-biopsy research. "Given its promise, studying liquid biopsy in clinical contexts such as MRD is a major focus of our laboratories and clinical services."
Dr. Faden will lead the HNSCC trial and Sophia Shalhout, PhD and Kevin Emerick, MD of the Mass Eye and Ear- Mass General Hospital Cutaneous Oncology Program will co-lead the CSCC trial. Each are investigators at the Mike Toth Head and Neck Cancer Research Center at Mass Eye and Ear.
The two prospective clinical trials aim to investigate Haystack MRD as a minimally invasive tool to help guide clinical decisions and its impact on risk stratification and enabling early detection of residual disease in cancer types that currently lack robust options for monitoring and risk assessment. Both studies will use Haystack MRD to analyze samples from patients at multiple times during and after treatment to evaluate the clinical usefulness of Haystack MRD in the clinic.
"In aggressive and often unpredictable cancers like HNSCC and CSCC, the ability to sensitively detect minimal residual disease can transform how we evaluate treatment response and monitor for recurrence. Studying these diseases with Haystack MRD offers a critical opportunity to close the gap between clinical remission and molecular relapse鈥攂ringing us closer to truly personalized, proactive cancer care," said Dan Edelstein, Vice President and General Manager of Haystack Oncology. "Our goal is to bring highly sensitive, personalized monitoring to all types of solid tumors."
Why ctDNA MRD matters
A growing body of research underscores the potential role of ctDNA MRD tests to identify residual or recurring cancer in solid tumors. In April 2025, a study聽published in The聽New England Journal of Medicine聽(NEJM)聽found that聽ctDNA testing, using Haystack MRD was a "reliable liquid biopsy surrogate" that identified clinical complete response at a median of 1.4 months compared to over six months using imaging tests. Nearly all oncologists (
About Haystack Oncology
Haystack Oncology represents the culmination of over 20 years of collaboration to advance technical and clinical development in liquid biopsy technologies by cancer genomics pioneers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics, developed Haystack MRD鈩�, a tumor-informed, next-generation MRD test that detects ultralow levels of ctDNA to uncover residual or recurrent disease with exceptional sensitivity. Haystack Oncology works with biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate and inform clinical development programs and advance important therapeutics to global markets, from early phase clinical development to companion diagnostics.
Haystack MRD was developed and validated in a CLIA-certified laboratory and is available for commercial use as a lab-developed test (LDT) by Quest Diagnostics. Haystack MRD is also available for clinical trials聽as an investigational device by Haystack Oncology in laboratories located in
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics works across the healthcare ecosystem to create a healthier world, one life at a time. We provide diagnostic insights from the results of our laboratory testing to empower people, physicians and organizations to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from one of the world's largest databases of deidentified clinical lab results, diagnostic insights provided by Quest reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in
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