title: Enumeration and Molecular Characterisation of Circulating Tumour Cells in Endometrial Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This is a feasibility study to determine whether circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are detectable and suitable for molecular profiling in advanced endometrial cancer (aEC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2012 and February 2014, 30 patients with aEC had baseline and up to 3 follow-up samples. CTCs and stathmin expression were evaluated using the CellSearch platform. Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and stathmin immunohistochemistry were performed on FFPE tumour tissue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen from 30 (60%) patients had detectable CTCs during study [1 CTC (n = 7), 2 (n = 4), 3 (n = 1), 4 (n = 2), 7 (n = 1), 8 (n = 1), 22 (n = 1), 172 (n = 1) in 7.5 ml blood]. Ten from 18 patients had between 50 and 100% of detectable CTCs that were stathmin positive. More CTC-positive than CTC-negative patients had non-endometrioid versus endometrioid histology, tumour size ≥5 versus <5 cm, higher-stage disease and worse survival [hazard ratio 3.3, p > 0.05, 95% confidence interval 0.7-16.2]. Twenty-one tumour blocks were tested for EpCAM and stathmin immunohistochemistry (IHC). Stathmin tumour immunostaining scores (TIS) on IHC were higher in CTC-positive patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CTC enumeration and molecular profiling with stathmin on the CellSearch platform is feasible in aEC. Stathmin TIS on IHC, a known prognostic marker in EC, was associated with CTC positivity.
authors.affiliation: University College London Hospital and UCL Cancer Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: Charlotte R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Lemech
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ensell
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eminowicz
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Rupali
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Hendrik-Tobias
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Arkenau
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Widschwendter
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Adeola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olaitan
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mould
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ledermann
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: Rebecca S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kristeleit
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D050777:Stathmin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; C493995:STMN1 protein, human; D050777:Stathmin