title: Prognostic value of circulating tumour cells for early recurrence after resection of colorectal liver metastases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite good outcomes for many, a substantial group of patients undergoing metastasectomy for isolated liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) experience early recurrence. We have investigated whether circulating tumour cell (CTC) detection can identify patients developing disease recurrence within 1 year after liver metastasectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In CRC patients undergoing liver metastasectomy, 30 ml peripheral blood was withdrawn preoperatively. CTCs were detected by the CellSearch system after a density-gradient-based enrichment step.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy-three samples from 151 individual patients were analysed. In 75 samples (43%), CTCs were detected, 16% had ⩾3 CTCs/7.5 ml of blood. Eighty-two patients (47%) experienced early disease recurrence (<1 year). The 1-year recurrence rate between patients with or without detectable CTCs were similar (47% vs 48%) or with a low or high CTC count (<3 or ⩾3 CTCs/7.5 ml of blood) (50% vs 47%). Also disease-free and overall survival were similar between patients with or without CTCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of CTCs in preoperative peripheral blood samples does not identify patients at risk for early disease recurrence after curative resection of colorectal liver metastases. Other parameters are needed to better identify patients at high risk to relapse after liver metastasectomy for CRC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, PO Box 2040, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Z S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Lalmahomed
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Genomics Netherlands, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, PO Box 5201, Erasmus MC, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mostert
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Genomics Netherlands, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, PO Box 5201, Erasmus MC, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Onstenk
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Genomics Netherlands, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, PO Box 5201, Erasmus MC, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kraan
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, PO Box 5201, Erasmus MC, 3008 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ayez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Genomics Netherlands, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, PO Box 5201, Erasmus MC, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Gratama
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, PO Box 5201, Erasmus MC, 3008 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grünhagen
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, PO Box 5201, Erasmus MC, 3008 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verhoef
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Genomics Netherlands, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, PO Box 5201, Erasmus MC, 3008 AE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sleijfer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence