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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment

Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment

Published on: May 14, 2019

Circulating tumor cells and bone marrow micrometastasis.

Catherine Alix-Panabières¹, Sabine Riethdorf, Klaus Pantel

¹University Medical Center, Lapeyronie Hospital, Montpellier, France.

Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research

|August 14, 2008

Summary

Detecting single circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) early in cancer progression offers prognostic value. These findings may guide personalized systemic therapies for patients.

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Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment

Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment

Published on: May 14, 2019

Lung Tumor Cell Recruitment Assay

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Published on: February 26, 2019

Isolation and Propagation of Circulating Tumor Cells from a Mouse Cancer Model

Isolation and Propagation of Circulating Tumor Cells from a Mouse Cancer Model

Published on: October 9, 2015

Area of Science:

Oncology
Cell Biology
Medical Diagnostics

Background:

Epithelial tumors release cells into circulation early in development.
Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be found in blood and bone marrow, even without overt metastasis.
Detection of DTCs and CTCs provides crucial prognostic information.

Purpose of the Study:

To critically review current methods for detecting CTCs and DTCs.
To examine molecular characterization data of CTCs/DTCs, focusing on tumor dormancy, cancer stem cells, and novel therapeutic targets.
To identify critical issues for establishing CTC/DTC measurements in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

Review of immunocytochemical and molecular assays for CTC/DTC detection.
Analysis of existing data on molecular characterization of CTCs/DTCs.
Identification of challenges for clinical implementation.

Main Results:

Sensitive assays can detect single CTCs and DTCs.
Tumor cell dissemination occurs early in cancer development.
CTC/DTC detection offers prognostic insights and potential for tailored therapies.

Conclusions:

Early detection of CTCs/DTCs is feasible and prognostically significant.
Further research is needed to address critical issues for routine clinical use of CTC/DTC analysis.
Molecular characterization of CTCs/DTCs may reveal novel therapeutic strategies.