Fig. 2

Dynamics of circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) in 16 patients with associated patient features: good versus bad pathologic response (Dworak 1 + 2: bad; 3 + 4 good response) and the occurrence of metastases during follow-up. Patients are grouped accordingly to the respective ctDNA dynamics: green - decline; orange – no clear decline and/or late ctDNA shedding; red - persistence of ctDNA. Each line connects the respective allele frequencies of one particular variant that was tracked over time. Significant proofs of ctDNA (considering all monitored variants in the respective patient) are marked by asterisks (***: p-value < 0.001; **: p-value < 0.01; *: p-value < 0.05)