title: Improved detection of circulating tumor cells in non-metastatic high-risk prostate cancer patients.
abstract: The relevance of blood-based assays to monitor minimal residual disease (MRD) in non-metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. Proving that clinically relevant circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be detected with available technologies could address this. This study aimed to improve CTC detection in non-metastatic PCa patients by combining three independent CTC assays: the CellSearch system, an in vivo CellCollector and the EPISPOT. Peripheral blood samples from high-risk PCa patients were screened for CTCs before and three months after radical prostatectomy (RP). Combining the results of both time points, CTCs were detected in 37%, 54.9% and 58.7% of patients using CellSearch, CellCollector and EPISPOT, respectively. The cumulative positivity rate of the three CTC assays was 81.3% (87/107) with 21.5% (23/107) of patients harboring ≥5 CTCs/7.5 ml blood. Matched pair analysis of 30 blood samples taken before and after surgery indicated a significant decrease in CTCs captured by the CellCollector from 66% before RP to 34% after therapy (p = 0.031). CTC detection by EPISPOT before RP significantly correlated with PSA serum values (p < 0.0001) and clinical tumor stage (p = 0.04), while the other assays showed no significant correlations. In conclusion, CTC-based liquid biopsies have the potential to monitor MRD in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuske
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gorges
authors.affiliation: Martini Klinik, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tennstedt
authors.affiliation: Martini Klinik, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne-Kathrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tiebel
authors.affiliation: Martini Klinik, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Raisa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pompe
authors.affiliation: Martini Klinik, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Preißer
authors.affiliation: Martini Klinik, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prues
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Rare Human Circulating Cells, University Medical Center, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazel
authors.affiliation: Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Athina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markou
authors.affiliation: Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells Lab, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Evi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lianidou
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peine
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Rare Human Circulating Cells, University Medical Center, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alix-Panabières
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riethdorf
authors.affiliation: Martini Klinik, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.affiliation: Martini Klinik, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schlomm
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pantel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*