title: Detection of circulating tumor cells in patients with pancreatic cancer: a preliminary result.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been reported that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be used to predict survival in metastatic breast cancer. In this preliminary study, we examined the level of CTCs in pancreatic cancer (PC) patients to elucidate whether we could predict survival in PC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The eligible subjects, at Tokyo Medical University Hospital, were 26 patients with PC, 11 with chronic pancreatitis, and 10 healthy volunteers. Three PC patients underwent surgery, 18 patients (who were stage IV) were treated with gemcitabine (GEM), and 5 patients received best supportive care (BSC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CTC count was 1/7.5 ml blood or higher (defined as positive) in 11 of the 26 patients (42%; mean, 16.9/7.5 ml blood; range, 1-105/7.5 ml blood). Gemcitabine was administered to 6 of the 11 CTC-positive patients (3.8 courses on average). The treatment was continued for more than three courses in 2 patients, in both of whom the CTC count was only 1/7.5 ml blood. Operation was performed in 1 of the 11 CTC-positive patients. The remaining 4 patients of the 11 CTC-positive patients received only BSC. CTC was negative in 15 patients with PC (stage II, 1; stage III, 1; stage IVa, 7; and stage IVb, 6) and in the subjects with benign conditions. The median survival times (MSTs) of the CTC-positive and-negative patients were 110.5 and 375.8 days (P < 0.001). When the analysis was limited to the 14 stage-IVb patients, the MSTs of the CTC-positive and-negative patients were 52.5 and 308.3 days (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated that the detection of CTCs in peripheral blood may be useful to predict prognosis in patients with PC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itoi
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sofuni
authors.forename: Fumihide
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Itokawa
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Shujirou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Nobuhito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ikeuchi
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuchida
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasuya
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Fuminori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moriyasu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis