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Adaptation of Semiautomated Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Assays for Clinical and Preclinical Research Applications
Published on: February 28, 2014
Circulating Tumor Cells In Advanced Cervical Cancer: NRG Oncology-Gynecologic Oncology Group Study 240 (NCT
Krishnansu S Tewari1, Michael W Sill2,3,4, Bradley J Monk5
1UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange, California. ktewari@uci.edu.
Molecular Cancer Therapeutics
|August 28, 2020
Summary
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be isolated from advanced cervical cancer patients. Declining CTC counts correlate with improved survival, and high pretreatment CTCs may predict bevacizumab benefit.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biomarkers
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Advanced cervical cancer presents significant treatment challenges.
- Identifying predictive biomarkers is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.
- Bevacizumab is an antiangiogenic therapy used in recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in advanced cervical cancer.
- To evaluate the prognostic significance of CTCs for overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS).
- To assess the impact of bevacizumab treatment on CTCs and survival outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples (7.5 mL) collected pre- and post-treatment from patients in a phase III trial.
- CTCs isolated using anti-EpCAM antibody-conjugated ferrofluid and magnetic separation.
- CTC enumeration via semiautomated fluorescence microscopy.
Main Results:
- Median pretreatment CTC count was 7 cells/7.5 mL blood; post-treatment median was 4 cells.
- A greater decline in CTCs was associated with a lower risk of death (HR, 0.87).
- Patients with high pretreatment CTCs receiving bevacizumab showed improved survival (HR, 0.57) and PFS (HR, 0.59).
Conclusions:
- CTCs are isolatable in advanced cervical cancer and hold prognostic value.
- Bevacizumab may confer a survival benefit in patients with high CTC counts, potentially linked to VEGF inhibition.
- CTC capture shows promise as a predictive biomarker for bevacizumab therapy.
