Circulating tumour cells as a predictive factor for response to systemic chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer

Received 20 April 2008; received in revised form 4 September 2008; accepted 4 September 2008. published online 02 October 2008.

Abstract

Circulating tumour cells (CTC) can be traced in patients with different types of cancer. The aim of this study was to detect CTC in patients with advanced colorectal cancer and whether CTC are still detectable after systemic chemotherapy. Blood from 34 patients with advanced colorectal cancer was analysed for the presence of CTC before chemotherapy was given and after 3months. Eleven patients demonstrated a tumour remission after chemotherapy. In 6 cases CTC were detectable before but not after initiation of chemotherapy. Ten patients demonstrated a progression. In 5 cases CTC were detected before and after chemotherapy. Our data suggest that the detection of CTC will help to identify patients responding to chemotherapy or with a risk of a therapy failure.

Keywords: CTC, Circulating tumour cells, Colorectal cancer, EGFR, EGFR variants

a AdnaGen AG, Ostpassage 7, D-30853 Langenhagen, Germany

b GlaxoSmithKline GmbH & Co. KG, Theresienhöhe 11, D-80339 München, Germany

c Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany

Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 72595050; fax: +49 72595040.

PII: S1574-7891(08)00120-8

doi:10.1016/j.molonc.2008.09.001

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