Transcriptional profiling of circulating tumor cells: quantification and cancer progression (Review)

Circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood have been demonstrated to reflect the biological characteristics of tumors including the potential for metastasis development and tumor recurrence. A number of mRNA markers may feasibly enable the detection of circulating tumor cells from virtually all patients with different cancer types. Of clinical relevance, quantification of circulating tumor cell mRNAs in cancer patients may prove valuable for monitoring disease progression and patients' response to treatment, and assessing the risk for metastasis or recurrence. With prognostic implications, the quantities of mRNA markers in blood could indicate the stage of cancer progression and the need for more intensive therapeutic intervention to better the outcome of cancer patients.