title: The prognostic role of circulating tumor cells in lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be isolated from the peripheral blood of cancer patients. Several studies to assess the prognostic and/or predictive role of CTCs have been performed in lung cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The state-of-the-art of the role of CTCs in lung cancer patients is reviewed and discussed. A structured search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature and of main meetings using a focused review question was undertaken. Expert commentary: Although in the revised studies different technologies, cutoffs, patients' populations and statistical approaches have been used, a high CTCs count as prognostic role in small-cell lung cancer is suggested, whereas additional studies are required to confirm this correlation in non-small-cell lung cancer. A reduction in CTCs count is also likely to be correlated with the lung cancer patients' outcome. Large prospective trials need to confirm the prognostic and/or predictive role of CTCs in lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: a Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit , Istituto Nazionale Tumori 'Fondazione G. Pascale'-IRCCS , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Normanno
authors.affiliation: a Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit , Istituto Nazionale Tumori 'Fondazione G. Pascale'-IRCCS , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: a Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit , Istituto Nazionale Tumori 'Fondazione G. Pascale'-IRCCS , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.affiliation: a Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit , Istituto Nazionale Tumori 'Fondazione G. Pascale'-IRCCS , Naples , Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chicchinelli
authors.affiliation: b Division of Medical Oncology , 'S.G. Moscati' Hospital , Avellino , Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Biomarkers; CTCs; NSCLC; SCLC; circulating tumor cells; lung cancer; prognosis