Abstract
Fluctuating numbers of circulating tumor cells in cancer patients and the meaning of zero counts
Highlights
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells in transit through the bloodstream, providing a minimallyinvasive source of neoplastic material for molecular and phenotypic analysis, as well as an opportunity to monitor disease progression [1]
We have recently asked whether the detection of CTCs in breast cancer patients could be influenced by clinico-pathological features [8]
One of the main motivations for addressing this question was the observed fluctuations in CTC numbers in patients with comparable disease status, overall burden and metastatic profile, suggesting that CTC shedding rates are unequal across patients and even within individual patients that are sampled longitudinally, and that possibly, certain clinical features could “accidentally” influence cancer spread
Summary
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells in transit through the bloodstream, providing a minimallyinvasive source of neoplastic material for molecular and phenotypic analysis, as well as an opportunity to monitor disease progression [1]. We have recently asked whether the detection of CTCs in breast cancer patients could be influenced by clinico-pathological features [8]. One of the main motivations for addressing this question was the observed fluctuations in CTC numbers in patients with comparable disease status (e.g. progressive disease), overall burden and metastatic profile, suggesting that CTC shedding rates are unequal across patients and even within individual patients that are sampled longitudinally, and that possibly, certain clinical features could “accidentally” influence cancer spread.
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