Isolation and Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung Using a Non-EpCAM-Based Capture Method.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The exclusion of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) that have lost epithelial antigens during the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process by using Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) based capture methods is still a matter of debate. In this study, cells obtained after depletion procedure from blood samples of squamous cell lung cancer (SQCLC) patients were identified based on morphology and characterized with the combination of FISH assessment and immunophenotypic profile.

Materials and methods

Five mL blood samples, collected from 55 advanced SQCLC patients, were analyzed by a non-EpCAM-based capture method. After depletion of leukocytes and erythroid cells, the negative fraction was characterized by both FISH using a fibroblast growth factor rece

SUBMITTER: Bozzetti C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4646671 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature