title: [Positive circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood may indicate a poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the value of detecting peripheral blood circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 296 patients diagnosed with HCC admitted in our department from July 2013 to January 2015 were analyzed, with 39 patients with benign liver disease serving as the control group. The distribution of CTCs in the peripheral blood of HCC patients were detected by CanPatrol(TM) CTCs, and its relationship with the clinical features and prognosis of the patients were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  s CTCs were detected in 64.5% (191/296) of the HCC patients but in none of the control group (P<0.05). Positive CTCs in peripheral blood of HCC patients were significantly correlated with serum AFP level, tumor number, TNM stage, BCLC stage, portal vein tumor thrombus and metastasis (P<0.05). In 127 HCC patients receiving radical surgery, the patients positive for CTCs showed significantly shorter relapse-free survival time (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive CTCs in the peripheral blood may indicate a poor prognosis in HCC patients. CTCs may serve as a indicator for monitoring the prognosis of HCC.
authors: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. E-mail: gbtkobe@163.com.
authors: Bo-Tang
authors: BT
authors: Guo
authors: Xin-Cheng
authors: XC
authors: Liu
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Huo-Hui
authors: HH
authors: Ou
authors: Xiang-Hong
authors: XH
authors: Li
authors: Ding-Hua
authors: DH
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis