title: Clinical impact of minimal cancer cell detection in various colorectal cancer specimens.
abstract: Detection of cancer cells using molecular targets is achieved by combining immunochemical reactions with gene amplification techniques. This enables the detection of cancer cells in specimens that are traditionally determined to be cancer-free. These improvements in detection can lead to prognoses that are different from those derived by conventional pathological staging. Survival is worse when cancer cells are detected in regional lymph nodes compared to when the nodes are cancer-free. Furthermore, the circulating tumor cell (CTC) count increases as the cancer progresses. Consequently, there is a correlation between CTC count and prognosis. However, large-scale prospective studies are required to confirm this. The development of more convenient and cost-effective analysis techniques will facilitate the practical application of these findings.
authors.affiliation: Kazuhiko Yoshimatsu, Hajime Yokomizo, Yoshihiko Naritaka, Department of Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, Tokyo 116-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimatsu
authors.affiliation: Kazuhiko Yoshimatsu, Hajime Yokomizo, Yoshihiko Naritaka, Department of Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, Tokyo 116-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokomizo
authors.affiliation: Kazuhiko Yoshimatsu, Hajime Yokomizo, Yoshihiko Naritaka, Department of Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, Tokyo 116-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naritaka
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D001706:Biopsy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Circulating tumor cell; Colorectal cancer; Micrometastasis; Molecular marker; Prognosis