# Emerging role of low-frequency somatic mutations in cancer relapse: from early detection to precision oncology

## TL;DR

Low-frequency mutations in cancer can predict relapse before it's visible, helping tailor treatments for better outcomes.

## Contribution

Highlights the role of low-frequency somatic mutations in early cancer relapse detection and precision oncology.

## Key findings

- Low-frequency mutations can detect relapse before clinical signs appear.
- Next-gen sequencing enables identification of subclonal variants below detection limits.
- These mutations inform adaptive treatment strategies in precision oncology.

## Abstract

Somatic mutations with low variant allele frequencies offer a highly sensitive lens for detecting cancer relapse driven by diverse causes, including clonal evolution and therapy resistance. Advances in next-generation sequencing have enabled robust subclonal variant identification that typically fall below conventional detection limits, supporting a comprehensive understanding of individual molecular profiles that can lead to relapse. These low-level alterations frequently emerge before clinical or radiological relapse and can inform response-adaptive treatment decisions. This review integrates the current biological and technical insights into low-frequency mutations and evaluates their emerging roles in tumor relapse management and precision oncology.