title: TTF-1- and/or CD56-positive Circulating Tumor Cells in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the phenotypic CTCs heterogeneity (TTF-1+and/or CD56+) in SCLC patients and correlate it with the CellSearch. Peripheral blood was obtained from 108 consecutive patients. CTCs were detected by CellSearch and double-immunofluorescence using anti-CD45, anti-TTF-1 and anti-CD56 antibodies. Before chemotherapy TTF-1+/CD45-, CD56+/CD45-and TTF-1+/CD56+CTCs were detected in 66(61.1%), 55(50.9%) and 46(42.6%) patients, respectively; 60.2% of patients were CellSearch+. Among the 22 patients with 0 CTCs/7.5 ml on CellSearch, TTF-1+/CD45-, CD56+/CD45-and TTF-1+/CD56+CTCs were detected in 8(36.4%), 6(27.3) and 6(27.3%) patients, respectively; no CK+/EpCAM+or TTF1+/EpCAM+CTCs were detected in these patients. One-chemotherapy cycle decreased both the number of positive patients (p < 0.001) and their CTC number (p < 0.001), irrespectively of their phenotype and the detection method. The incidence and number of the different CTC subpopulations on PD, was significantly increased at their baseline levels. Multivariate analysis revealed that the increased number of CTCs at baseline and on PD were significantly associated with decreased PFS (p = 0.048) and OS (p = 0.041), respectively. There is an important CTC heterogeneity in such patients according to the expression of TTF-1 and CD56 which could detect EpCAM-CTC subpopulations and, thus, undetectable by CellSearch. These CTC subpopulations are dynamically correlated with treatment efficacy and disease-progression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Ippokratis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Messaritakis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stoltidis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.|Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotsakis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleftheria-Kleio
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Dermitzaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Fillipos
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koinis
authors.affiliation: Pathology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lagoudaki
authors.affiliation: Pathology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koutsopoulos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Politaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apostolaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.|Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Souglakos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Georgoulias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C504003:TTF1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors