Detection of circulating tumor cells in prostate cancer patients: methodological pitfalls and clinical relevance.
Disseminated malignancy is the major cause of prostate cancer-related mortality. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are essential for the establishment of metastasis. Various contemporary and molecular methods using prostate-specific biomarkers have been applied to detect extraprostatic disease that is undetectable by conventional imaging techniques, assessing the risk for disease recurrence after therapy of curative intent. However, the clinical relevance of CTC detection is still controversial. We review current literature regarding molecular methods used for the detection of CTCs in the peripheral blood and bone marrow biopsies of patients with prostate cancer, and we discuss the methodological pitfalls that influence the clinical significance of molecular staging.
Panteleakou
Zacharoula
Z
Department of Experimental Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Goudi-Athens, Greece.
Lembessis
Peter
P
Sourla
Antigone
A
Pissimissis
Nikolaos
N
Polyzos
Aristides
A
Deliveliotis
Charalambos
C
Koutsilieris
Michael
M
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000166:cytology; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053539:Keratin-19 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D053539:Keratin-19; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C110843:PSCA protein, human; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; C473848:FOLH1 protein, human; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen