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Related Concept Videos

Metastasis02:30

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance02:40

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance02:40

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Circulating Tumor Cell Lines: an Innovative Tool for Fundamental and Translational Research
07:47

Circulating Tumor Cell Lines: an Innovative Tool for Fundamental and Translational Research

Published on: December 25, 2021

Circulating tumor cells: evolving evidence and future challenges.

Efrat Dotan1, Steven J Cohen, Katherine R Alpaugh

  • 1Department of Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

The Oncologist
|November 10, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are rare cancer cells in blood. New isolation techniques aid in cancer prognosis, therapy monitoring, and understanding tumor biology, particularly in breast, prostate, and colon cancers.

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

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Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Circulating Tumor Cell Lines: an Innovative Tool for Fundamental and Translational Research
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Circulating Tumor Cell Lines: an Innovative Tool for Fundamental and Translational Research

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

Published on: October 9, 2015

Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment
05:17

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

Published on: May 14, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are rare malignant cells originating from primary or metastatic tumors and found in peripheral blood.
  • CTCs represent a valuable, yet challenging, area of cancer research due to their rarity and heterogeneity.
  • Advances in isolation and characterization techniques are crucial for unlocking the clinical potential of CTCs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current techniques for isolating circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
  • To discuss the clinical utility of CTC enumeration in major cancers like breast, prostate, and colon cancer.
  • To explore future directions and emerging applications of CTC analysis in oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on CTC isolation and characterization techniques.
  • Analysis of clinical studies demonstrating the utility of CTCs as prognostic and predictive biomarkers.
  • Synthesis of information on the application of CTCs in monitoring treatment response and understanding tumor biology.

Main Results:

  • Multiple techniques exist for CTC isolation, each with specific advantages and limitations.
  • CTC enumeration is a validated prognostic marker in breast, prostate, and colon cancer.
  • CTCs offer insights into tumor heterogeneity and mechanisms of metastasis.

Conclusions:

  • Circulating tumor cell analysis is a rapidly evolving field with significant clinical implications.
  • Standardization of CTC detection methods and further validation are necessary for widespread clinical adoption.
  • Future research will likely focus on single-cell CTC analysis and liquid biopsy applications for personalized cancer care.