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Circulating cancer cells in peripheral blood. A case report
N Rodríguez-Salas1, A M Jiménez-Gordo, E González
1Department of Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.
Acta Cytologica
|March 31, 2000
Summary
Carcinocythemia, the presence of circulating cancer cells in blood, is a rare but serious complication of advanced cancers. High numbers of these cells indicate a terminal event and a poor prognosis for patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Hematology
- Pathology
Background:
- Carcinocythemia, defined as circulating cancer cells in peripheral blood, is a rare complication of solid tumors.
- Elevated levels of circulating tumor cells can be detected in routine laboratory tests.
- The presence of carcinocythemia is associated with a dismal prognosis.
Observation:
- A case of carcinocythemia in a patient with disseminated breast cancer is presented.
- A literature review identified 18 cases of carcinocythemia.
- Commonly associated neoplasms include breast adenocarcinoma, small cell lung carcinoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma.
Findings:
- All identified patients had stage IV disease at diagnosis.
- Reticuloendothelial system involvement was present in all patients.
- Survival following diagnosis of carcinocythemia was typically short, measured in days or weeks.
Implications:
- Circulating cancer cells represent an unusual manifestation of disseminated neoplasms.
- Carcinocythemia signifies a terminal event in cancer progression.
- Understanding carcinocythemia aids in prognostic assessment and patient counseling.