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Circulating tumor cells and their clinical significance
Affiliations- Department of Molecular and Translational Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warszawa, Poland
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Abstract
Metastases to other organs and the formation of secondary tumors are responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths. However, even in the early stages of cancer, about 30–40% of patients with localized disease may have latent metastasis, which are likely derived from circulating tumor cells (CTCs) involved in disease progression. Therefore, detection and analysis of CTCs can play an important role in the diagnosis and decision-making of adjuvant treatment that aims to prevent metastasis. At present, patients’ selection of treatment is based on the statistical risk of recurrence of metastatic disease, without considering whether the tumor cells have spread from the primary tumor. This may lead to unnecessary treatment of non-metastatic disease patients. Therefore, early detection of CTCs in the blood is critically important, and should allow for a more accurate assessment of disease severity. Here, we provide an overview of CTC phenotypes, including plasticity of CTCs, and their clinical significance.
Abstract
Metastases to other organs and the formation of secondary tumors are responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths. However, even in the early stages of cancer, about 30–40% of patients with localized disease may have latent metastasis, which are likely derived from circulating tumor cells (CTCs) involved in disease progression. Therefore, detection and analysis of CTCs can play an important role in the diagnosis and decision-making of adjuvant treatment that aims to prevent metastasis. At present, patients’ selection of treatment is based on the statistical risk of recurrence of metastatic disease, without considering whether the tumor cells have spread from the primary tumor. This may lead to unnecessary treatment of non-metastatic disease patients. Therefore, early detection of CTCs in the blood is critically important, and should allow for a more accurate assessment of disease severity. Here, we provide an overview of CTC phenotypes, including plasticity of CTCs, and their clinical significance.
Keywords
CTC, metastasis
About this articleTitle
Circulating tumor cells and their clinical significance
Journal
Nowotwory. Journal of Oncology
Issue
Article type
Review paper
Pages
243-250
Published online
2017-12-29
Page views
554
Article views/downloads
812
DOI
Bibliographic record
Nowotwory. Journal of Oncology 2017;67(4):243-250.
Keywords
CTC
metastasis
Authors
Ewa Anna Grzybowska
Anna Fabisiewicz