Prognostic role of circulating tumor cells in patients with EGFR-mutated or ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Circulating tumor cell (CTC) counts at baseline and follow-up are an independent prognostic factor in patients receiving standard chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study further explored the role of CTCs in EGFR-mutated and ALK-rearranged NSCLC patients administered targeted therapies as first-line treatment.

Methods

CTCs were enumerated with a novel high-efficiency detection method from the blood of 43 patients with EGFR-mutated or ALK-rearranged NSCLC at baseline and at disease-progression. Patients were stratified into favorable and unfavorable groups with baseline CTC counts of < 8 or ≥ 8 CTCs/3.2 mL, respectively.

Results

A total of 76.7% of the patients were positive for ≥ 2 CTCs /3.2 ml blood at baseline. The median progressio

SUBMITTER: Tong B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5928386 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature