title: Biomarkers for small cell lung cancer: neuroendocrine, epithelial and circulating tumour cells.
abstract: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterised by an aggressive clinical course with invariable resistance to chemotherapy despite initially high response rates. There has been little improvement in outcome over the past few decades, with no breakthrough yet in targeted therapies. Recent preclinical data and studies of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) highlight distinct cellular heterogeneity within SCLC. Better understanding of how these phenotypes contribute to metastasis and tumour progression might pave the way for development of more successful targeted therapies. Here we review these studies, their implications for future research and for the incorporation of biomarkers reflecting neuroendocrine, epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes in clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, AV Hill Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stovold
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blackhall
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meredith
authors.forename: JianMei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dive
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D055099:Neuroendocrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C087079:pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (31-98); D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin