Circulating Tumor Cells: Technologies and Their Clinical Potential in Cancer Metastasis
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- Jerry Xiao
- Tumor Biology Training Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
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- Paula R. Pohlmann
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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- Claudine Isaacs
- Center for the Study of Sex Differences in Health, Aging & Disease, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
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- Benjamin A. Weinberg
- Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
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- Aiwu R. He
- Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
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- Richard Schlegel
- Center for Cell Reprogramming, Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
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- Seema Agarwal
- Center for Cell Reprogramming, Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
説明
<jats:p>Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are single cells or clusters of cells within the circulatory system of a cancer patient. While most CTCs will perish, a small proportion will proceed to colonize the metastatic niche. The clinical importance of CTCs was reaffirmed by the 2008 FDA approval of CellSearch®, a platform that could extract EpCAM-positive, CD45-negative cells from whole blood samples. Many further studies have demonstrated the presence of CTCs to stratify patients based on overall and progression-free survival, among other clinical indices. Given their unique role in metastasis, CTCs could also offer a glimpse into the genetic drivers of metastasis. Investigation of CTCs has already led to groundbreaking discoveries such as receptor switching between primary tumors and metastatic nodules in breast cancer, which could greatly affect disease management, as well as CTC-immune cell interactions that enhance colonization. In this review, we will highlight the growing variety of isolation techniques for investigating CTCs. Next, we will provide clinically relevant context for CTCs, discussing key clinical trials involving CTCs. Finally, we will provide insight into the future of CTC studies and some questions that CTCs are primed to answer.</jats:p>
収録刊行物
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- Biomedicines
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Biomedicines 9 (9), 1111-, 2021-08-30
MDPI AG