TY - JOUR
T1 - Circulating tumor cells
T2 - Highlight on practical implications
AU - Gazzaniga, Paola
AU - Raimondi, Cristina
AU - Gradilone, Angela
AU - Naso, Giuseppe
AU - Cortesi, Enrico
AU - Frati, Luigi
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cells of presumed epithelial origin, whose prognostic and predictive value in metastatic cancer patients has recently been demonstrated. To date, the count of CTCs through the CellSearch® system represents a valid approach for monitoring disease status in patients with metastatic colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer; in these cancer types, a rise in the CTC count at any time during treatment predicts a poor outcome. Nevertheless, the clinical utility of monitoring CTC counts remains controversial, and what to do when CTC counts rise during therapy still remains an unanswered question. In this report, we suggest how to integrate CTC counts with their molecular characterization to better translate biologic information obtained on CTCs into daily clinical practice.
AB - Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cells of presumed epithelial origin, whose prognostic and predictive value in metastatic cancer patients has recently been demonstrated. To date, the count of CTCs through the CellSearch® system represents a valid approach for monitoring disease status in patients with metastatic colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer; in these cancer types, a rise in the CTC count at any time during treatment predicts a poor outcome. Nevertheless, the clinical utility of monitoring CTC counts remains controversial, and what to do when CTC counts rise during therapy still remains an unanswered question. In this report, we suggest how to integrate CTC counts with their molecular characterization to better translate biologic information obtained on CTCs into daily clinical practice.
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U2 - 10.2165/11594520
DO - 10.2165/11594520
M3 - Article
C2 - 22303967
AN - SCOPUS:84857532379
VL - 16
SP - 7
EP - 11
JO - Molecular Diagnosis and Therapy
JF - Molecular Diagnosis and Therapy
SN - 1177-1062
IS - 1
ER -