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Exploration of Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) Biology: A Paradigm Shift in Liquid Biopsy

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Abstract

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs), are disseminated tumour cells found in the blood in solid tumour malignancies. Identification of CTCs act as emerging tools in the field of the Liquid Biopsy. Majority of the studies focused on detection and enumeration of CTCs due to technological challenges those results from the rarity of CTCs in the blood. Enumeration of CTCs has already proven their value as prognostic as well as predictive biomarkers for disease prognosis. However, recent advances in technology permitted to study the molecular and functional features of CTCs and these features have the potential to change the diagnostic, prognostic and predictive landscape in oncology. In this review, we summarize the paradigm shift in the field of liquid biopsy-based cancer diagnostics using CTC isolation and detection. We have discussed recent advances in the technologies for molecular characterization of CTCs which have aided a shift from CTC enumeration to an in-depth analysis of the CTC genome, transcriptomes, proteins, epigenomes along with various functional features. Finally, as a prognosticating strategy, the potentials of CTCs as a tool of liquid biopsy to predict micrometastasis, monitor prognosis and how to use them as an additional tool for cancer staging has been discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We are thankful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi for providing fellowship to AC [09/141(0209)/2019-EMR-1] and RK [09/141(0210)/2019-EMR-1]. The figures are drawn using Inkscape software and templates available from Servier Medical Art provided by Les Laboratoires Servier under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License has been used.

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Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India for fellowship to Anshika Chauhan and Rajandeep Kaur.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

    Anshika Chauhan, Rajandeep Kaur & Arnab Pal

  2. Department of Radiotherapy, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

    Sushmita Ghoshal

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  1. Anshika Chauhan
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Chauhan, A., Kaur, R., Ghoshal, S. et al. Exploration of Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) Biology: A Paradigm Shift in Liquid Biopsy. Ind J Clin Biochem 36, 131–142 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12291-020-00923-4

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