Improved Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in One-Tube Assay in Breast Cancer Patients Using Imaging Flow Cytometry

ABSTRACT:

Simple Summary

Liquid biopsy is a promising but challenging tool for potentially upgrading cancer patient diagnostics and providing new insights into tumor biology. Here, we applied a unique approach to detect CTCs and cCAFs in a one-tube assay using imaging flow cytometry, enabling improved enumeration, multimarker-based phenotyping, and detailed morphological characterization of those rare cells. We identified new, putatively EMT-related phenotypes of negative CTCs for both epithelial and mesenchymal markers and showed that EMT-related CTCs might contribute to breast cancer progression, whereas a coincidence of CTCs and cCAFs might be a signature of metastasis.

Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating cancer-associated fibroblasts (cCAFs) have been indivi

SUBMITTER: Muchlinska A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10453498 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature