Circulating tumor cells

Circulating tumor cells are cancer cells that detach from a primary or metastatic tumor and enter the bloodstream. Some survive circulation and seed tumors elsewhere.

Metastasis: The spread of cancer cells from an initial tumor to distant sites, where they can form secondary tumors. Circulating tumor cells are a transient stage in the metastatic cascade.
Circulating tumor DNA: Tumor-derived DNA fragments found in bodily fluids, especially blood plasma. It is a distinct blood-based tumor signal, unlike intact circulating tumor cells.
CellSearch: An FDA-cleared platform that enriches and counts circulating tumor cells in blood using epithelial markers. It is a standardized method used to enumerate these cells in selected cancers.
Metastatic breast cancer: Breast cancer that has spread from the breast to distant organs or tissues. Circulating tumor cell counts are clinically studied in this disease.
Intravasation: The movement of cells across a vessel wall into the bloodstream or lymphatic system. It is one route by which tumor cells enter blood circulation.
Liquid biopsy: Analysis of tumor-associated material in bodily fluids to obtain information about cancer without sampling the tumor directly. Circulating tumor cells are one target of liquid biopsy.
Immunomagnetic cell separation: A cell-separation method that uses antibody-coated magnetic particles to capture cells bearing chosen markers. Some circulating tumor cell assays use it to enrich target cells from blood.
Metastatic prostate cancer: Prostate cancer that has spread beyond the prostate to distant sites. Cell enumeration and molecular characterization are used in studies of advanced disease.
Anoikis: A form of programmed cell death triggered when certain cells lose attachment to their normal surroundings. Detachment from a tumor exposes many circulating cells to this survival barrier.
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition: A cellular program in which epithelial cells acquire some mesenchymal traits, including altered adhesion and motility. This program can change tumor-cell traits associated with detachment and circulation.

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