title: Clinical utility of circulating tumor cell measurement in the diagnosis of indeterminate lesions of the pancreas.
abstract: The quantification of circulating tumor cells has been historically problematic due to the different methods applied to their measurement. Following the development of standardized technology, they are now becoming well-established prognostic and predictive markers in patients with breast, colon and prostate cancer. While they represent a real-time noninvasive test, their use in diagnostics has seldom been reported. We report their use to help diagnose an indeterminate pancreatic mass. The use of an automated circulating tumor cell platform as described is likely to have utility as an aid to differential diagnosis, although larger studies will be required to ascertain its positive or negative predictive value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Marsden Hospital, Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JJ, UK. satvinder.mudan@rmh.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Satvinder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mudan
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giakoustidis
authors.forename: Andrew V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Thillainayagam
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stebbing
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor