Discrimination between circulating endothelial cells and blood cell populations with overlapping phenotype reveals distinct regulation and predictive potential in cancer therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) have been proposed to predict patient response to antiangiogenic cancer therapy. However, contradictory reports and inconsistency in the phenotypic identification of CECs have led us to compare three cell populations with partially overlapping phenotype in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and the antiangiogenic agent bevacizumab.

Methods

Patients (n = 20) with locally advanced pancreatic cancer were monitored during 16 weeks of neoadjuvant treatment with gemcitabine and bevacizumab. Detection of circulating cell populations was based on the marker combination CD45, CD31, and CD146; levels of viable and dead (7-aminoactinomycin D-positive) cells were evaluated by flow cytometry in 2-week intervals.

Results

We were a

SUBMITTER: Starlinger P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3201574 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature