title: CK-coated magnetic-based beads as a tool to isolate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in human tumors.
abstract: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be detected in the blood of many cancer patients and play a key role in metastasis. In addition, after the development of technologies with the necessary sensitivity and reproducibility, the diagnostic potential of these cells is being actively explored. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the CellSearch(®) System, based on magnetic beads coated with epithelial cell-adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibody. Despite its usefulness, this system can miss CTCs that lose epithelial antigens due to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and, in the case of advanced NSCLC, CTCs positivity can be demonstrated only in 30-50% of patients. In an effort to overcome these drawbacks, new methods are being developed. In this study, we have evaluated CK-coated beads as a system to isolate CTCs from lung cancer patients in the clinical setting, and have evaluated if they can be a useful source of material for genetic testing. We were able to identify CTCs in 17 of the 30 patients included in the study (57%), with a range of 1 to 7 cells. In two of them, we found only CTCs with an EMT pattern. CTC positivity seemed to correlate with the clinical history of the malignancy. CTCs could be detected in more than 80% of stage III-IV lung cancer patients at presentation or in blood samples taken immediately after surgery. The percentage dropped to 13% in patients responding to chemotherapy or TKIs, raising again to 57% after tumor progression. Finally, we tested the CTCs isolated from 8 patients for EGFR and k-ras mutations, but gene amplification was successful only in the 3 patients with 4 or more CTCs.
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ;
authors: Clara
authors: C
authors: Mayo
authors: GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain ;
authors: Francisco G
authors: FG
authors: Ortega
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ;
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Giménez-Capitán
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ;
authors: Miguel A
authors: MA
authors: Molina-Vila
authors: GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain ;
authors: Maria José
authors: MJ
authors: Serrano
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ;
authors: Santiago
authors: S
authors: Viteri
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ;
authors: Carlota
authors: C
authors: Costa
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ;
authors: Amaya
authors: A
authors: Gascó
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ;
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Bertran-Alamillo
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ;
authors: Niki
authors: N
authors: Karachaliou
authors: GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain ;
authors: José Antonio
authors: JA
authors: Lorente
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; ; Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain.
authors: Miquel
authors: M
authors: Tarón
authors: Breakthrought Cancer Unit, Laboratory of Oncology, Pangaea Biotech, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain ; ; Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain.
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Rosell
keywords: Circulating tumor cells; EMT transition; lung cancer; mutation