title: Circulating tumor cells and PET.
abstract: Understanding the distinct molecular features of solid tumors provides the opportunity to develop more targeted and effective therapies. The evaluation and monitoring of these therapies require sophisticated laboratory and imaging technologies to detect potential benefit not necessarily translating into significant changes in tumor size. PET has emerged as the most sensitive imaging technique for providing the metabolic profile of an individual tumor. Most recently, the detection of circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood of patients with advanced malignancies has provided another dimension to the use of PET for sensitive therapeutic monitoring. Moreover, molecular characterization of circulating tumor cells holds promise for furthering the care of cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Jian Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cristofanilli
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals