What are circulating tumor cells
- Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play an important role in causing metastatic cancer.
- Tumor cells in tumor tissue can pass through the blood vessel wall and enter into the blood circulation.
- The tumor cells in the blood circulation is called circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
- CTCs circulate in the blood stream, flow into other tissues by penetrating the blood vessel wall. CTCs will then grow and replicate to become another tumor tissue, resulting in the so-called metastatic cancer.
How can CTCs help in cancer detection and treatment?
- CTCs can be used as an outpost for cancer screening (early detection). By analyzing the number of CTCs in the blood, it can be estimated whether there is a tumor tissue in the body.
- CTCs can be used as an assessment of whether the cancer has recurred (postoperative follow-up). By analyzing the number of CTCs in the blood to evaluate whether the number of CTCs increase abnormally or decrease significantly, it can be estimated whether the cancer recurrence happens.
- CTCs can be used as an assessment of personalized drug selection for cancer treatment (precision treatment). By analysis CTCs genetic information, it will help to screen out drugs suitable for cancer patients.
