Detection of circulating tumor cells: Clinical relevance of a novel metastatic tumor marker (Review)

Ren,Chuanli; Han,Chongxu; Wang,Daxin; Zhao,Xiaohang; Jin,Guangfu; Shen,Hongbing

doi:10.3892/etm.2011.234

Detection of circulating tumor cells: Clinical relevance of a novel metastatic tumor marker (Review)

Authors:
- Chuanli Ren
- Chongxu Han
- Daxin Wang
- Xiaohang Zhao
- Guangfu Jin
- Hongbing Shen
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Affiliations: Clinical Laboratory, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital and Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Cancer Center of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
Published online on: March 21, 2011 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2011.234
Pages: 385-391

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Abstract

Most cancer-related deaths are caused by the hematogenous spread of cancer cells to distant organs and their subsequent metastasis. During the early stages of the metastatic cascade, cancer cells disseminate from the primary site via the lymphatic vessels and/or by hematogenous routes. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cancer cells that have disseminated into the systemic circulation, may be a predictor of poor prognosis in several carcinomas. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the blood-borne dissemination of cancer cells may help to clarify the process of metastasis and provide a powerful and non-invasive approach for anticancer treatments that are tailored to individual patients.

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