A tumor‑informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay published in Nature Communications demonstrated strong prognostic power for patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma. The study showed that a personalized ctDNA approach can predict recurrence and correlate with survival, enabling earlier identification of patients at high risk of relapse. The assay’s performance supports using tumor‑informed ctDNA for surveillance and trial stratification in ASCC and highlights broader utility of individualized MRD monitoring in oncology.