title: Circulating tumor cells in solid tumor in metastatic and localized stages.
abstract: The aim of this study was the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in three tumor types of epithelial origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and thirty-eight patients with breast cancer (56.2% localized and 43.8% metastatic), 195 with colorectal tumors (84.1% localized and 15.9% metastatic) and 50 with prostate cancer (52% localized and 48% metastatic) took part in this study. CTC quantification was performed using the CellSpotter Analyzer (Veridex LLC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  31.5% of patients with cancer had > or =2 CTCs/7.5 mL but none of the healthy volunteers were above this level (p<0.001). Among patients with metastatic disease, 62.3% of them had > or =2 CTCs/7.5 mL but only 14.0% of those with localized disease were above this level (p<0.001). The presence of CTCs were correlated to stage in the three studied tumor types and no differences in the number of cells were found between them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of more than 2 CTCs/7.5 ml is a frequent event in metastatic cases. In particular, patients with localized disease who have more than 2 CTCs/7.5 ml should be carefully studied to determine the possible prognostic and predictive value of this finding.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Análisis Clínicos, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040, Madrid, España. mmaestro.hcsc@salud.madrid.org
authors.forename: Luisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Maestro
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sastre
authors.forename: Sara B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Rafael
authors.forename: Silvia B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Veganzones
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vidaurreta
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olivier
authors.forename: Virginia B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: DE La Orden
authors.forename: Jose Angel
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Garcia-Saenz
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alfonso
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arroyo
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Diaz-Rubio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology