How does the presence of minimal residual disease (MRD) typically influence future patient risk?

The presence of even minimal disease is often a strong predictor of eventual relapse

The detection of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) carries significant prognostic weight because its presence is frequently identified as a robust predictor indicating that the patient faces an increased likelihood of eventual relapse down the line. If cancer cells are still detectable below the clinical threshold, it suggests that the conditions allowing for that persistence exist, meaning the disease is more likely to regrow into a clinically significant burden. Conversely, maintaining a persistent MRD-negative status over time is highly encouraging, typically suggesting a much lower risk of recurrence and potentially allowing clinicians to consider reducing the intensity of subsequent follow-up treatments in certain scenarios.