The clinical significance of circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood.
Tumors launch malignant cells into the circulation continuously. In early stages, the immune surveillance system eliminates these cells from the circulation, but at later times they may persist longer and be detected. The first recorded evidence of the presence of circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood of cancer patients was documented in 1869. Now, modern molecular biologic and cell sorting techniques make their detection and characterization more practicable. This review will consider the methods currently available for their detection and characterization, and the clinical implications of their presence in various malignant conditions.
Elshimali
Yahya I
YI
Department of Pathology, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA 91342, USA. Yelshimali@ladhs.org
Grody
Wayne W
WW
D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D002465:Cell Movement; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000276:immunology; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger