Clinical Significance of Circulating Tumor Cells and Free DNA in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Isobe K, Hata Y, Kobayashi K, Hirota N, Sato K, Sano G, Sugino K, Sakamoto S, Takai Y, Shibuya K, Takagi K, Homma S.

Source

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Toho University Omori Medical Center, 6-11-1 Omori-Nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo 143-8541, Japan. kazutoshiisobe@aol.com.

Abstract

Aim: This pilot study assessed correlations between circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating free DNA (cfDNA) of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after acquisition of resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

CTCs were counted using the CellSearch system (Veridex). cfDNA was analyzed for EGFR mutation status by the Cycleave real-time PCR assay.

RESULTS:

Twenty-four patients participated in this study. CTCs were detected in 8 of 24 cases (33.3%), at a mean of 2.6 CTCs per 7.5 ml blood (range: 1-24). EGFR mutations in cfDNA were detected in 6 out of 24 cases (25%). The EGFR mutation detection rates in cfDNA were significantly higher in patients with ≥2 CTCs per 7.5 ml (100%) than in those with <2 CTCs per 7.5 ml (10%) (p=0.0001).

CONCLUSION:

The presence of CTCs was correlated with the positivity of EGFR mutation in cfDNA.

TimAllenMDJD

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

From Toho U-Japan: Presence of circulating lung cancer tumor cells correlates with EGFR mutation in circulating free DNA