A Nature Communications study led by Zhou, Su, Liang and colleagues examines whether molecular residual disease (MRD) signals after surgery can guide care in early-stage, resected non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations. The research evaluates how a “hidden” molecular fingerprint can persist after visible tumors are removed and how that signal may be used to inform subsequent clinical decisions. MRD testing—detecting minute amounts of cancer-derived genetic material below imaging detection thresholds—is positioned here as a potential way to stratify recurrence risk earlier than standard pathology and imaging. If validated in broader cohorts, MRD workflows could shift post-surgical monitoring and therapeutic escalation strategies for EGFR-mutated patients, affecting clinical trial endpoints and future treatment algorithms.