NOTCH1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Second, one preoperative ctDNA‐negative case (pT2N1M0, Stage IIIA) subsequently developed recurrence and died within 5 years, indicating potential limitations in our 61‐gene panel's coverage. The panel's modest size (61 genes) unavoidably excluded certain ESCC drivers (NOTCH1, NFE2L2), which may explain this false‐negative result.