Clinical role of detecting circulating tumor cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related death due to its high metastatic potential. This study aimed to investigate the detection and heterogeneity of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the microsatellite instability (MSI) status in advanced CRC patients prior to any systemic front-line treatment. Peripheral whole blood was obtained from 198 patients. CTCs were detected using double immunofluorescence and a real time-polymerase chain reaction assay; whereas MSI status was evaluated using fragment analysis. Median age of the patients was 66 years, 63.1% were males, 65.2% had a colon/sigmoid tumor location and 90.4% had a good performance status (PS). MSI-High status was detected in 4.9% of the patients; 33.3%, 56.1% and 8.6% patients had at least one detectable CEACAM5+/EpCAM+, CEACAM5+/EpCAM− and CEACAM5−/EpCAM+ CTC, respectively, and 9.1% of the patients had CEACAM5mRNA-positive CTCs. Following multivariate analysis, age, PS and MSI were confirmed as independent prognostic factors for decreased time to progression, whereas age, PS and CTC presence were confirmed as independent prognostic factors for decreased overall survival. In conclusion, our data support the use of CEACAM5 as a dynamic adverse prognostic CTC biomarker in patients with metastatic CRC and MSI-High is considered an unfavorable prognostic factor in metastatic CRC patient tumors.

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Clinical Significance of Circulating Tumor Cells in Gastrointestinal Carcinomas

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics10040192 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 192

Author(s):

Leonie Konczalla ◽

Anna Wöstemeier ◽

Marius Kemper ◽

Karl-Frederik Karstens ◽

Jakob Izbicki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tumor Cells ◽

Circulating Tumor Cells ◽

Clinical Application ◽

Liquid Biopsy ◽

Cancer Diagnostics ◽

Therapeutic Approaches ◽

Primary Tumors ◽

New Therapeutic Approaches ◽

Tumor Dissemination

The idea of a liquid biopsy to screen, surveil and treat cancer patients is an intensively discussed and highly awaited tool in the field of oncology. Despite intensive research in this field, the clinical application has not been implemented yet and further research has to be conducted. However, one component of the liquid biopsy is circulating tumor cells (CTCs) whose potential for clinical application is evaluated in the following. CTCs can shed from primary tumors to the peripheral blood at any time point during the progress of a malignant disease. Following, one single CTC can be the origin for distant metastasis at later cancer stage. Thus, CTCs have great potential to either be used in cancer diagnostics and patient stratification or to function as a target for new therapeutic approaches to stop tumor dissemination and metastasis at the very early beginning. Due to the biological fundamental role of CTCs in tumor progression, here, we provide an overview of CTCs in gastrointestinal cancers and their potential use in the clinical setting. In particular, we discuss the usage of CTC for screening and stratifying patients’ risk. Moreover, we will discuss the potential role of CTCs for treatment specification and treatment monitoring.

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Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells and Its Application in Prostate Cancer

Nepalese Journal of Cancer ◽

10.3126/njc.v4i1.31685 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 3-7

Author(s):

Jin-Qi Song ◽

Ya-Nan Zhou ◽

Gang-Liang Tu ◽

Chang-Li Xu ◽

Hui Xu

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Early Diagnosis ◽

Tumor Cells ◽

Circulating Tumor Cells ◽

Malignant Tumors ◽

Depth Study ◽

Tumor Research ◽

The Common ◽

Development And Evolution

In recent years, circulating tumor cells have become the focus of tumor research. In-depth study of the role of circulating tumor cells in the genesis, development, and evolution of tumors will be of great significance for the early detection, early diagnosis, early treatment, and prognosis of tumors. Prostate cancer is one of the common male malignant tumors, and the role of circulating tumor cells in prostate cancer has been increasing year by year. This article will focus on the progress of circulating tumor cells detection and its application in prostate cancer.

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