Rising Adoption Of Minimal Residual Disease Testing To Improve Cancer Treatment Outcomes

Minimal residual disease (MRD) testing helps detect any remaining cancer cells that may be left in the body after completion of primary treatment. It aids in determining a patient's response to therapy and guides further treatment decisions. MRD testing uses highly sensitive techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR), next-generation sequencing (NGS), and flow cytometry to detect presence of one cancer cell amongst 100,000 normal cells. This helps increase the chances of long-term remission and improves outcomes for cancers like acute lymphoblastic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and mantle cell lymphoma. Growing awareness about benefits of MRD monitoring and increasing prevalence of cancers globally are fueling adoption of MRD testing solutions.

The global minimal residual disease testing market is estimated to be valued at US$ 4.97 Bn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 11% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031.

Key Takeaways

Key players operating in the minimal residual disease testing market are Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Guardant Health, Inc., Adaptive Biotechnologies, Invitae Corporation, ASURAGEN, INC., Invivoscribe, Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Natera, Inc., Sysmex Inostics, Inc., Amgen Inc., FOUNDATION MEDICINE, INC., Sebia, and Myriad Genetics, Inc.

The rising incidence of hematological cancers and initiatives to enhance treatment outcomes are fueling demand for MRD testing. According to Globocan 2020, around 10.4 million new cancer cases and 6.2 million cancer deaths were reported worldwide in 2020. Availability of sensitive and accurate MRD testing aids in monitoring disease progression and guides targeted therapy administration.

Technological advancements are expanding applications of MRD testing. Real-time quantitative PCR and next-generation sequencing allow detection of MRD even at very low levels of 0.001%. Development of personalized MRD testing using panels tailored for individual cancer types further enhances accuracy and sensitivity. Combining MRD testing with artificial intelligence can help predict patient outcomes more precisely.

Market Trends

Growing adoption of personalized medicine: Personalized MRD testing tailored for specific cancer types and patient profiles helps guide more effective treatment decisions. Combining genomic profiling with MRD monitoring also aids in personalized therapy selection.

Integration with liquid biopsy: Integration of Minimal Residual Disease Testing Market Size with liquid biopsy allows non-invasive monitoring of disease burden using blood samples. This overcomes limitations of traditional invasive tissue biopsies and improves patient outcomes and experience.

Market Opportunities

Emerging economies in Asia Pacific and Latin America: Growing healthcare expenditure, increasing cancer incidence, and improving access to advanced diagnostics in emerging economies will drive market growth. Favorable regulatory environment supporting novel diagnostic solutions also presents opportunities.

Combination with artificial intelligence: Leveraging AI and machine learning can help develop highly sensitive MRD assays, automate analysis, improve accuracy of outcome prediction, and support clinical decision making. This presents significant growth potential.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the growth of the minimal residual disease testing market. During the pandemic, resource allocation from clinical diagnostics labs was diverted towards testing for SARS-CoV-2, impacting non-COVID diagnostic testing procedures including minimal residual disease testing. The number of minimal residual disease testing procedures declined substantially during the peak of the pandemic in 2020-2021 as healthcare facilities prioritized COVID-19 care and testing. However, the demand for minimal residual disease testing is recovering in the post-COVID period as diagnostic labs resume normal operations and focus on non-COVID diagnostic procedures once again. Going forward, market players need to focus on minimizing disruptions to testing services, maintaining continuity of testing for patients undergoing cancer treatment, and establishing protocols to handle potential future public health emergencies while continuing other important diagnostic procedures.

In terms of geographical concentration, the minimal residual disease testing market in North America accounts for the largest share in terms of value currently. This is attributed to factors such as the high incidence and prevalence of hematological cancers in the US and Canada, strong reimbursement structure for cancer diagnostic tests, and presence of leading market players. Going forward, the Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest growth in the minimal residual disease testing market during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to rising healthcare expenditure, increasing awareness about early cancer detection, and expanding access to diagnostic services in major Asia Pacific countries such as China and India.

The United States accounts for the largest share of the minimal residual disease testing market among all geographical regions globally, in terms of value. This is attributed to factors such as the high incidence and prevalence rates of hematological cancers in the country, strong presence of leading market players, availability of advanced testing technologies, and favorable reimbursement structure for cancer diagnostic tests. Going forward, China is expected to witness the fastest growth in the minimal residual disease testing market during the forecast period. Rising healthcare spending, increasing focus on early disease diagnosis, and rapid expansion of the diagnostic services sector are some of the factors expected to drive strong market growth in China over the coming years.