Circulating tumour cells and circulating free nucleic acid as prognostic and predictive biomarkers in colorectal cancer

S H Lim; T M Becker; W Chua; N J Caixeiro; W L Ng; N Kienzle; A Tognela; S Lumba; J E J Rasko; P de Souza; K J Spring

doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2013.12.019

Circulating tumour cells and circulating free nucleic acid as prognostic and predictive biomarkers in colorectal cancer

Cancer Lett. 2014 Apr 28;346(1):24-33. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.12.019. Epub 2013 Dec 22.

Authors

S H Lim¹, T M Becker², W Chua³, N J Caixeiro⁴, W L Ng³, N Kienzle², A Tognela⁵, S Lumba⁶, J E J Rasko⁷, P de Souza⁸, K J Spring⁴

Affiliations

¹ Medical Oncology Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool 2170, Australia; Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool 2170, Australia; School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington 2052, Australia; South West Sydney Translational Cancer Research Unit, Liverpool 2170, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Medical Oncology Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool 2170, Australia; School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington 2052, Australia; South West Sydney Translational Cancer Research Unit, Liverpool 2170, Australia.
³ Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool 2170, Australia; South West Sydney Translational Cancer Research Unit, Liverpool 2170, Australia.
⁴ Medical Oncology Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool 2170, Australia; South West Sydney Translational Cancer Research Unit, Liverpool 2170, Australia; Liverpool Clinical School, University of Western Sydney, Liverpool 2170, Australia.
⁵ Medical Oncology Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool 2170, Australia; Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool 2170, Australia; South West Sydney Translational Cancer Research Unit, Liverpool 2170, Australia; Liverpool Clinical School, University of Western Sydney, Liverpool 2170, Australia.
⁶ Medical Oncology Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool 2170, Australia; Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool 2170, Australia; School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington 2052, Australia; South West Sydney Translational Cancer Research Unit, Liverpool 2170, Australia.
⁷ Department of Cell and Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown 2050, Australia; Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown 2050, Australia.
⁸ Medical Oncology Group, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool 2170, Australia; Department of Medical Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool 2170, Australia; School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington 2052, Australia; South West Sydney Translational Cancer Research Unit, Liverpool 2170, Australia; Liverpool Clinical School, University of Western Sydney, Liverpool 2170, Australia.

PMID: 24368189
DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.12.019

Abstract

The detection of circulating tumour cells or circulating free tumour nucleic acids can potentially guide treatment and inform prognosis in colorectal cancer using minimally invasive "liquid biopsies". Current literature supports the notion that high circulating tumour cell counts or presence of tumour nucleic acid correlate with inferior clinical outcomes for patients, but they are not yet part of routine clinical care. Future research evolves around the examination of the molecular phenotype of circulating tumour cells. The key unanswered areas include differentiating between circulating tumour cell presence and their proliferative capacity and dormancy, identifying tumour heterogeneity and understanding the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Keywords: Circulating free DNA; Circulating free RNA; Circulating tumour cells; Colorectal cancer; Personalised cancer therapy.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
Colorectal Neoplasms / blood*
Colorectal Neoplasms / mortality
Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
DNA / analysis
DNA / blood
Humans
Neoplastic Cells, Circulating*
Prognosis
RNA / analysis
RNA / blood

Substances

Biomarkers, Tumor
RNA
DNA