Gauging the Impact of Cancer Treatment Modalities on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)

Mathias, Trevor J.; Chang, Katarina T.; Martin, Stuart S.; Vitolo, Michele I.

doi:10.3390/cancers12030743

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Gauging the Impact of Cancer Treatment Modalities on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)

¹

Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Maryland Graduate Program in Life Sciences, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA

²

Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA

³

Stewart Greenebaum NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Cancers 2020, 12(3), 743; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12030743

Submission received: 1 March 2020 / Revised: 18 March 2020 / Accepted: 19 March 2020 / Published: 21 March 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liquid Biopsy: Latest Advances and Future Challenges)

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Abstract

The metastatic cascade consists of multiple complex steps, but the belief that it is a linear process is diminishing. In order to metastasize, cells must enter the blood vessels or body cavities (depending on the cancer type) via active or passive mechanisms. Once in the bloodstream and/or lymphatics, these cancer cells are now termed circulating tumor cells (CTCs). CTC numbers as well as CTC clusters have been used as a prognostic marker with higher numbers of CTCs and/or CTC clusters correlating with an unfavorable prognosis. However, we have very limited knowledge about CTC biology, including which of these cells are ultimately responsible for overt metastatic growth, but due to the fact that higher numbers of CTCs correlate with a worse prognosis; it would seem appropriate to either limit CTCs and/or their dissemination. Here, we will discuss the different cancer treatments which may inadvertently promote the mobilization of CTCs and potential CTC therapies to decrease metastasis.

Keywords: cancer; metastasis; circulating tumor cells; CTCs; dissemination; chemotherapy; radiotherapy; surgery resection

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MDPI and ACS Style

Mathias, T.J.; Chang, K.T.; Martin, S.S.; Vitolo, M.I. Gauging the Impact of Cancer Treatment Modalities on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs). Cancers 2020, 12, 743. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12030743

AMA Style

Mathias TJ, Chang KT, Martin SS, Vitolo MI. Gauging the Impact of Cancer Treatment Modalities on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs). Cancers. 2020; 12(3):743. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12030743

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mathias, Trevor J., Katarina T. Chang, Stuart S. Martin, and Michele I. Vitolo. 2020. "Gauging the Impact of Cancer Treatment Modalities on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)" Cancers 12, no. 3: 743. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12030743

APA Style

Mathias, T. J., Chang, K. T., Martin, S. S., & Vitolo, M. I. (2020). Gauging the Impact of Cancer Treatment Modalities on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs). Cancers, 12(3), 743. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12030743

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Gauging the Impact of Cancer Treatment Modalities on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)

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