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Phenotype of circulating tumor cell: face-off between epithelial and mesenchymal masks

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Most patients with cancers died of distant metastasis. It is always difficult to find cancer metastasis in early time, let alone to prevent or cure it. Currently, oncologists place high hopes on circulating tumor cell (CTC), which, compared to current imaging methods, is found more sensitive for early metastasis. Recently, techniques for CTC enrichment and identification are developing quickly. However, there are great challenges in the clinical interpretation of CTC assessments. Increasing studies have shown the heterogeneity of CTCs, which may play different roles in cancer metastasis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is not only the main mechanism of the cancer cells invading the circulation system but also a distinguished characteristic of CTCs. Investigators are trying to differentiate specific subgroups of CTCs that are truly responsible for cancer metastasis. Here, we reviewed the current evidences on epithelial-mesenchymal transition of CTCs from perspectives of enrichment methods, biology, and its subgroups.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81401954) and the Medical Science & Technology Program of Zhejiang Province, China (2015KYA114). We appreciate Dr. Ziduo Li from ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Australia for help of search and full-text paper acquisition.

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Hong Y and Zhang Q wrote the manuscript. Both authors approved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, China

    Yupeng Hong

  2. Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No.88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, China

    Qi Zhang

  3. Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, National Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China

    Qi Zhang

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  1. Yupeng Hong
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  2. Qi Zhang
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Correspondence to Qi Zhang.

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Hong, Y., Zhang, Q. Phenotype of circulating tumor cell: face-off between epithelial and mesenchymal masks. Tumor Biol. 37, 5663–5674 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-016-4796-5

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