The association of MRD and relapse/survival. The association of MRD status during treatment and survival are shown in thick green (MRD neg) and red (MRD pos) curves. Potential solutions to improve the predictive power of MRD status are boxed. Many MRD^– cases still relapse. This may be sampling error, limitations of the assay sensitivity, rapid kinetics (with missed detection given the former 2 variables), the evolution or loss of MRD markers, and so on. On the other hand, some MRD⁺ cases do not relapse. These could be from clones with very slow kinetics (in check from immune mechanisms?), mutations occurring in other lineages (lymphoid), among others. The box next to the blue arrow suggests predictive models that add clinical variables, therapy, and other genetic/biological parameters that could be combined with MRD kinetics to improve the predictive capabilities of MRD monitoring. Professional illustration by Patrick Lane, ScEYEnce Studios.