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Updated: Mar 20, 2026
Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment
Published on: May 14, 2019
Enumeration and Molecular Characterisation of Circulating Tumour Cells in Endometrial Cancer
Charlotte R Lemech1, Leah Ensell, Jennifer C Paterson
1University College London Hospital and UCL Cancer Institute, London, UK.
Background:
This is a feasibility study to determine whether circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are detectable and suitable for molecular profiling in advanced endometrial cancer (aEC).
Method:
Between October 2012 and February 2014, 30 patients with aEC had baseline and up to 3 follow-up samples. CTCs and stathmin expression were evaluated using the CellSearch platform. Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and stathmin immunohistochemistry were performed on FFPE tumour tissue.
Results:
Eighteen from 30 (60%) patients had detectable CTCs during study [1 CTC (n = 7), 2 (n = 4), 3 (n = 1), 4 (n = 2), 7 (n = 1), 8 (n = 1), 22 (n = 1), 172 (n = 1) in 7.5 ml blood]. Ten from 18 patients had between 50 and 100% of detectable CTCs that were stathmin positive. More CTC-positive than CTC-negative patients had non-endometrioid versus endometrioid histology, tumour size ≥5 versus <5 cm, higher-stage disease and worse survival [hazard ratio 3.3, p > 0.05, 95% confidence interval 0.7-16.2]. Twenty-one tumour blocks were tested for EpCAM and stathmin immunohistochemistry (IHC). Stathmin tumour immunostaining scores (TIS) on IHC were higher in CTC-positive patients.
Conclusion:
CTC enumeration and molecular profiling with stathmin on the CellSearch platform is feasible in aEC. Stathmin TIS on IHC, a known prognostic marker in EC, was associated with CTC positivity.
