The significance of circulating tumor cells in prostate cancer patients undergoing adjuvant or salvage radiation therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Following radical prostatectomy, success of adjuvant and salvage radiation therapy (RT) is dependent on the absence of micrometastatic disease. However, reliable prognostic/predictive factors for determining this are lacking. Therefore, novel biomarkers are needed to assist with clinical decision-making in this setting. Enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) using the regulatory-approved CellSearch System (CSS) is prognostic in metastatic prostate cancer. We hypothesize that CTCs may also be prognostic in the post-prostatectomy setting.

Methods

Patient blood samples (n=55) were processed on the CSS to enumerate CTCs at 0, 6, 12 and 24 months after completion of RT. CTC values were correlated with predictive/prognostic factors and progression-free survival.<

SUBMITTER: Lowes LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4788488 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature