Circulating tumor cells are correlated with disease progression and treatment response in an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma model.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant tumor characterized by rapid progression, poor prognosis, and frequent hematogenous metastasis. A minimally invasive diagnostic biomarker that can predict disease progression and treatment response would be of extraordinary benefit. Therefore, we have investigated whether the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is correlated with disease progression and treatment response in HCC. Here we report that the number of CTCs, monitored by in vivo flow cytometry (IVFC), is strongly correlated with disease progression and treatment response in a highly metastatic orthotopic nude mouse model of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled HCC. Sorafenib treatment reduces the number of CTCs significantly. The decreased number of CTCs is consistent with low lung metastasis. This study has demonstrated a considerable clinical value of CTCs as a biomarker in predicting disease progression and monitoring therapeutic efficacy in patients with HCC.
Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.|Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People's Republic of China.|Department of Surgery, Fujian Provincial Tumor Hospital, Teaching Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350014, People's Republic of China.
Jun
J
Yan
Med-X Research Institute and School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China.
Zhichao
Z
Fan
Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People's Republic of China.|Department of Surgery, Fujian Provincial Tumor Hospital, Teaching Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350014, People's Republic of China.
Xiufeng
X
Wu
Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
Min
M
Xu
Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
Jiahao
J
Jiang
Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
Changjun
C
Tan
Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
Weizhong
W
Wu
Med-X Research Institute and School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China.|Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
Xunbin
X
Wei
Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.|Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
Jian
J
Zhou
D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*
circulating tumor cells; disease progression; hepatocellular carcinoma; in vivo flow cytometry; treatment response