Impact of disseminated tumor cells in gastrointestinal cancer.
The detection of epithelial cells by sensitive immunological and molecular methods in blood, lymph nodes or bone marrow of gastrointestinal cancer patients may open a new approach to clinical metastasis research. The phenotypic and genomic characterization of these cells is of great value in the prediction of the further course of the disease and the monitoring of response to treatment. In addition, the role of ultrastaging in blood, lymph nodes and bone marrow of cancer patients for the indication of multimodal therapy is discussed in this review. The impact of prognostic or predictive factors for new treatment protocols in patients with gastrointestinal cancer was evaluated as well as the correlation with clinical factors.
Thorban
Stefan
S
Technische University Munich, Chirurgische Klinik & Poliklinik, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Ismaningerstr 22, 81675 Munich, Germany. thorban@nt1.chir.med.tu-muenchen.de
Rosenberg
Robert
R
Maak
Matthias
M
Friederichs
Jan
J
Gertler
Ralf
R
Siewert
Jörg-Rüdiger
JR
D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis