Circulating tumor cells isolation： the ＂post-EpCAM era

Circulating tumor cells （CTCs） represent a submicroscopic fraction detached from a primary tumor and in transit to a secondary site. The prognostic significance of CTCs in metastatic cancer patients was demonstrated for the first time more than ten years ago. To date, it seems clear enough that CTCs...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chinese journal of cancer research 2015-10, Vol.27 (5), p.461-470
Main Authors: Raimondi, Cristina, Nicolazzo, Chiara, Gradilone, Angela
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CTCs
Review on Circulating Tumor Cells
分离
异质性
循环
生物学作用
细胞粘附分子
肿瘤细胞
转移性
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Summary:Circulating tumor cells （CTCs） represent a submicroscopic fraction detached from a primary tumor and in transit to a secondary site. The prognostic significance of CTCs in metastatic cancer patients was demonstrated for the first time more than ten years ago. To date, it seems clear enough that CTCs are highly heterogeneous and dynamically change their shape. Thus, the inadequacy of epithelial cell adhesion molecule （EpCAM） as universal marker for CTCs detection seems unquestionable and alternative methods able to recognize a broader spectrum of phenotypes are definitely needed. In this review the pleiotropic functions of EpCAM are discussed in detail and the role of the molecule in the biology of CTCs is critically dissected.
ISSN:1000-9604
1993-0631
DOI:10.3978/j.issn.1000-9604.2015.06.02