Circulating Tumor Cell Detection for Therapeutic and Prognostic Roles in Breast Cancer
Background
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are pivotal liquid biopsy (LB) biomarkers for breast cancer (BC), offering non-invasive insights into tumor progression and metastasis. Despite their clinical promise, CTC detection remains technically challenging due to their extreme rarity in peripheral blood.
Methods
This review systematically evaluates CTC detection methodologies, including immunoaffinity-based approaches and biophysical techniques, which exhibit inherent trade-offs in sensitivity, specificity, and compatibility with downstream analyses. Furthermore, post-isolation molecular characterization methods spanning genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses are also critically assessed.
Key Findings
CTC molecular profiling holds significant clinical relevance, enabling early diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and real-time monitoring of therapeutic response. Baseline CTC counts or quantitative/phenotypic changes during treatment inform therapeutic decision-making, predict drug resistance, and correlate with recurrence risk and metastatic progression.
Conclusion
Multimodal analysis integrating CTC morphology, surface markers, and molecular alterations advances precision therapy. However, standardization of detection platforms and clinical validation of CTC-guided protocols remain essential.
期刊介绍：
Cancer Medicine is a peer-reviewed, open access, interdisciplinary journal providing rapid publication of research from global biomedical researchers across the cancer sciences. The journal will consider submissions from all oncologic specialties, including, but not limited to, the following areas:
Clinical Cancer Research
Translational research ∙ clinical trials ∙ chemotherapy ∙ radiation therapy ∙ surgical therapy ∙ clinical observations ∙ clinical guidelines ∙ genetic consultation ∙ ethical considerations
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Molecular biology ∙ cellular biology ∙ molecular genetics ∙ genomics ∙ immunology ∙ epigenetics ∙ metabolic studies ∙ proteomics ∙ cytopathology ∙ carcinogenesis ∙ drug discovery and delivery.
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Behavioral science ∙ psychosocial studies ∙ screening ∙ nutrition ∙ epidemiology and prevention ∙ community outreach.
Bioinformatics:
Gene expressions profiles ∙ gene regulation networks ∙ genome bioinformatics ∙ pathwayanalysis ∙ prognostic biomarkers.
Cancer Medicine publishes original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and research methods papers, along with invited editorials and commentaries. Original research papers must report well-conducted research with conclusions supported by the data presented in the paper.
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