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Circulating Tumor Cells: Liquid Biopsy for Molecular Pathology

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Molecular Genetic Pathology

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Abstract

Using a variety of immunocytochemical and molecular strategies and techniques, it is now readily possible to detect circulating tumor cells (CTC) in the bloodstream or disseminated tumor cells (DTC) in the bone marrow in both early and late stages of cancer. However, the very low concentration of CTC/DTC in blood and bone marrow has led to significant challenges in cell capture resulting in a wide array of published sensitivities for cancer detection. CTC detection has been proven to be an adverse prognostic factor for a variety of tumors including breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancers. In addition, numerous investigators have argued that just capturing CTC/DTC is not enough and biomarker testing must be available for these samples in order to guide personalized therapy for the patients. It has been reported that CTC/DTC share similar phenotypic characteristics with cancer stem cells, which may explain the association of CTC/DTC detection with chemoresistant disease. Going forward, it is of great importance to improve the CTC/DTC detection methods and standardize the technology so that these tests can be optimized for use as a guide to cancer patient management.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA

    Jeffrey S. Ross MD (Cyrus Strong Merrill Professor and Chair, Medical Director)

  2. Foundation Medicine, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA

    Jeffrey S. Ross MD (Cyrus Strong Merrill Professor and Chair, Medical Director)

Authors
  1. Jeffrey S. Ross MD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Dept. Pathology, Indiana University, N. University Blvd. 550, Indianapolis, 46202, Indiana, USA

    Liang Cheng

  2. Dept. Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Gustave L. Levy Place 1, New York, 10029, New York, USA

    David Y. Zhang

  3. School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and, Indiana University, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, 46202, Indiana, USA

    John N. Eble

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Ross, J.S. (2013). Circulating Tumor Cells: Liquid Biopsy for Molecular Pathology. In: Cheng, L., Zhang, D., Eble, J. (eds) Molecular Genetic Pathology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4800-6_42

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4800-6_42

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4799-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4800-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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