Open AccessCirculating tumour cells as a predictive factor for response to systemic chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer
Author(s) -
Lankiewicz Silke,
Zimmermann Silke,
Hollmann Christiane,
Hillemann Tina,
Greten Tim F.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
molecular oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.332
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1878-0261
pISSN - 1574-7891
DOI - 10.1016/j.molonc.2008.09.001
Subject(s) - colorectal cancer , chemotherapy , medicine , oncology , cancer , circulating tumor cell , metastasis
Circulating tumour cells (CTC) can be traced in patients with different types of cancer. The aim of this study was to detect CTC in patients with advanced colorectal cancer and whether CTC are still detectable after systemic chemotherapy. Blood from 34 patients with advanced colorectal cancer was analysed for the presence of CTC before chemotherapy was given and after 3months. Eleven patients demonstrated a tumour remission after chemotherapy. In 6 cases CTC were detectable before but not after initiation of chemotherapy. Ten patients demonstrated a progression. In 5 cases CTC were detected before and after chemotherapy. Our data suggest that the detection of CTC will help to identify patients responding to chemotherapy or with a risk of a therapy failure.