Detection and prognostic role of heterogeneous populations of melanoma circulating tumour cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) can be assessed through a minimally invasive blood sample with potential utility as a predictive, prognostic and pharmacodynamic biomarker. The large heterogeneity of melanoma CTCs has hindered their detection and clinical application.

Methods

Here we compared two microfluidic devices for the recovery of circulating melanoma cells. The presence of CTCs in 43 blood samples from patients with metastatic melanoma was evaluated using a combination of immunocytochemistry and transcript analyses of five genes by RT-PCR and 19 genes by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), whereby a CTC score was calculated. Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) from the same patient blood sample, was assessed by ddPCR targeting tumour-specific mutations.

Results

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SUBMITTER: Aya-Bonilla CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7109152 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature