title: Arterial Blood, Rather Than Venous Blood, is a Better Source for Circulating Melanoma Cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CTCs provide prognostic information and their application is under investigation in multiple tumor types. Of the multiple variables inherent in any such process, none is more important to outcome than the appropriateness of the sample source. To address this question, we investigated CTCs in paired peripheral venous and arterial blood specimens obtained from stage IV uveal melanoma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood specimens were obtained from both common femoral arteries and antecubital veins in 17 uveal melanoma patients with multiple hepatic metastases for CTC measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CTCs were detectable with greater frequency (100%) and in larger numbers (median 5, range 1 to 168) in all arterial blood specimens than in venous samples (52.9%; median 1, range 0 to 8). Patients with hepatic as well as extra-hepatic metastasis showed higher number of arterial CTCs, compared to patients with liver-only metastasis (p = 0.003). There was no significant association between the number of arterial CTCs and the tumor burden within the liver in patients who had liver-only metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that arterial blood specimens might be a better source of circulating uveal melanoma cells. Although less conveniently processed, perhaps arterial blood should be evaluated as sample source for measurement of CTCs.
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Mizue
authors: M
authors: Terai
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Zhaomei
authors: Z
authors: Mu
authors: Department of Radiology, Division of Interventional Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Eschelman
authors: Department of Radiology, Division of Interventional Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Carin F
authors: CF
authors: Gonsalves
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Kageyama
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Biostatistics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Inna
authors: I
authors: Chervoneva
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Marlana
authors: M
authors: Orloff
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Ryan
authors: R
authors: Weight
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Mastrangelo
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Cristofanilli
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Takami
authors: T
authors: Sato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D047368:Tumor Burden
keywords: AKTi, AKT inhibitor; Ab, antibody; Arterial venous; BCNU, bischlorethylnitrosourea; CTC count; Circulating tumor cells; DEBDOX, drug-eluting beads with doxorubicin; EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; HMW-MAA, high molecular weight melanoma associated antigen; Hepatic metastasis; Ipi, ipilimumab; LN, lymph node; MEKi, MEK inhibitor; METi, MET inhibitor;; Peripheral venous; TACE, transarterial chemoembolization; Uveal melanoma; VPA, valproic acid; XRT, radiation therapy