Circulating tumor cell levels are elevated in colorectal cancer patients with high tumor burden in the liver.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Metastatic spread is the most common cause of cancer-related death in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, with the liver being the mostly affected organ. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a prognostic marker in stage IV CRC. We hypothesized that tumor burden in the liver correlates with CTC quantity.

Methods

Blood (7.5 ml) was prospectively collected from 24 patients with novel stage IV CRC diagnosis. Baseline EpCAM+ CTCs were analyzed with the FDA-approved CellSearch® system. Clinicopathological data were collected, and hepatic tumor burden was determined by radiographic liver volumetry with contrast-enhanced CT scans. CRC primary tumors were immunohistochemically stained for EpCAM expression with BerEP4 monoclonal antibody. Statistical analyses were performed usi

SUBMITTER: Kaifi JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4622723 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature