title: Possible applications of circulating tumor cells in patients with non small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Recent experiences indicate that, as already reported for other types of cancer, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may play a role also in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for diagnosis, therapy monitoring and prognostic purposes. CTCs evaluation could be particularly relevant in this clinical setting not only for the objective difficulty in obtaining tumor tissue, but also because of the lack of reliable tumor markers. In the current review, we will focus on the possible applications of CTCs in NSCLC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Onco-Hematology, Division of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, IRCCS, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy. Electronic address: tarta1@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tartarone
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, Oncology Section, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Hospital Pharmacy, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, IRCCS, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lerose
authors.affiliation: Department of Onco-Hematology, Division of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, IRCCS, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mambella
authors.affiliation: Department of Onco-Hematology, Division of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, IRCCS, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Calderone
authors.affiliation: Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zamarchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Onco-Hematology, Division of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata, IRCCS, Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aieta
mesh_terms: D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002452:Cell Count; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000073890:Liquid Biopsy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D009154:Mutation; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
keywords: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase fusion gene; Circulating tumor cells; Epidermal growth factor receptor; Liquid biopsy; Non small cell lung cancer