Reviews:
Evaluation and consequences of heterogeneity in the circulating tumor cell compartment
Metrics: PDF 2717 views | HTML 3147 views | ?
Abstract
Anja Brouwer1,2, Bram De Laere1, Dieter Peeters1,3, Marc Peeters1,2, Roberto Salgado1,3,5, Luc Dirix1,4, Steven Van Laere1
1Center for Oncological Research (CORE), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
2Department of Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
3Department of Pathology, GZA Hospitals Sint-Augustinus, Antwerp, Belgium
4Department of Oncology, GZA Hospitals Sint-Augustinus, Antwerp, Belgium
5Breast Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Jules Bordet Institute, Brussels, Belgium
Correspondence to:
Anja Brouwer, email: [email protected]
Keywords: circulating tumor cells, heterogeneity, liquid biopsy
Received: November 06, 2015 Accepted: February 18, 2016 Published: March 09, 2016
ABSTRACT
A growing understanding of the molecular biology of cancer and the identification of specific aberrations driving cancer evolution have led to the development of various targeted agents. Therapeutic decisions concerning these drugs are often guided by single biopsies of the primary tumor. Yet, it is well known that tumors can exhibit significant heterogeneity and change over time as a result of selective pressure. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are shed from various tumor sites and are thought to represent the molecular landscape of a patient’s overall tumor burden. Moreover, a minimal-invasive liquid biopsy facilitates monitoring of clonal evolution during therapy pressure and disease progression in real-time. While more information becomes available regarding heterogeneity among CTCs, comparison between these studies is needed. In this review, we focus on the genomic and transcriptional heterogeneity found in the CTC compartment, and its significance for clinical decision making.
![Creative Commons License](/images/80x15.png)
PII: 8015