Blood-based biopsies-clinical utility beyond circulating tumor cells

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Cell Biology
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) cells, and circulating cancer stromal cells (CStCs) shed into the bloodstream of cancer patients.
• These cells offer valuable biological and clinical insights into cancer.
• Accurate identification of these circulating cells is crucial for clinical assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical utility of cancer-associated macrophage-like cells (CAMLs), a type of CStC.
• To compare the applications of CAMLs with those of CTCs.
• To highlight the broader clinical utility of CAMLs.

Main Methods:

• Filtration techniques were employed to isolate circulating cells from whole peripheral blood, excluding red and white blood cells.
• Phenotypic analysis was used to identify and differentiate between CTCs and CAMLs, noting overlapping characteristics.
• Clinical applications were assessed based on the identified cell types.

Main Results:

• Cancer-associated macrophage-like cells (CAMLs) were identified as a distinct circulating cancer stromal cell type.
• CAMLs share overlapping phenotypes with CTCs, necessitating careful identification.
• CAMLs demonstrated a broader range of clinical utility compared to CTCs.

Conclusions:

• CAMLs possess significant clinical utility for various cancer applications, including screening, diagnosis, and monitoring treatment response.
• CAMLs can serve as valuable biomarkers for cancer management, complementing CTC analysis.
• The study underscores the importance of identifying and characterizing CStCs like CAMLs for comprehensive cancer assessment.