Abstract IA20: Circulating tumor cells: Biology and clinical applications as liquid biopsy

Abstract

Abstract The analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood may provide clinically relevant information as “liquid biopsy” and provide new insights into tumor biology (Alix-Panabieres, Pantel, Nature Rev Cancer 2014; Keller, Pantel, Nature Rev Cancer 2019). Various technologies have been developed over the past 10 years, which include label-dependent assays based on the expression of tumor-associated cell surface antigens and label-independent assays based on physical properties of tumors cells distinct from the surrounding leukocytes (Pantel, Alix-Panabieres, Nature Rev Cancer 2019). After detection, CTCs can be further analyzed at the DNA, RNA, and protein level to obtain global information on tumor biology and targets relevant to cancer therapy (Pantel, Alix-Panabieres, Nature Rev Clin Oncol 2019). Liquid biopsy analyses with validated platforms provide reliable information on prognosis and may serve to identify therapeutic targets or mechanisms of resistance on metastatic cells. Metastatic cells might have unique characteristics that can differ from the bulk of cancer cells in the primary tumor currently used for stratification of patients to systemic therapy. Moreover, monitoring of blood samples before, during, and after systemic therapy (e.g., chemotherapy or targeted therapy) provides unique information for the future clinical management of the individual cancer patient and serves as surrogate marker for response to therapy (Alix-Panabieres, Pantel, Cancer Discovery 2016; Bardelli, Pantel, Cancer Cell 2017). Citation Format: Klaus Pantel. Circulating tumor cells: Biology and clinical applications as liquid biopsy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Liquid Biopsies; Jan 13-16, 2020; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(11_Suppl):Abstract nr IA20.