Circulating Tumor Cells Measurements in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh in women. During the past 20 years, the incidence of HCC has tripled while the 5-year survival rate has remained below 12%. The presence of circulating tumor cells (CTC) reflects the aggressiveness nature of a tumor. Many attempts have been made to develop assays that reliably detect and enumerate the CTC during the development of the HCC. In this case, the challenges are (1) there are few markers specific to the HCC (tumor cells versus nontumor cells) and (2) they can be used to quantify the number of CTC in the bloodstream. Another technical challenge consists of finding few CTC mixed with million leukocytes and billion erythrocytes. CTC detection and identification can be used to estimate prognosis and may serve as an early marker to assess antitumor activity of treatment. CTC can also be used to predict progression-free survival and overall survival. CTC are an interesting source of biological information in order to understand dissemination, drug resistance, and treatment-induced cell death. Our aim is to review and analyze the different new methods existing to detect, enumerate, and characterize the CTC in the peripheral circulation of patients with HCC.

Modulatory effect of luteolin on redox homeostasis and inflammatory cytokines in a mouse model of liver cancer

“…The level of AFP is considered to differentiate HCC from chronic liver disease (28). Additionally, AFP mRNA acts as a circulating marker that may be used as a more reliable indicator of liver cancer (29,30). The high level of AFP present during DN administration was significantly decreased during the subsequent LUT treatment, and this reduction demonstrated the protective effects of LUT.…”

Technological advances in precision medicine and drug development

“…In this respect, particularly promising is one study’s reported detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-activating mutations, which are common in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in CTCs from 92% (11 of 12) of studied NSCLC patients [24]. Proteomics has been used to identify new CTC markers in hepatocellular carcinoma [25] and microscopy of labeled cells is often used to identify CTCs in blood samples [26]. The common goal of these assays is to extract clinically applicable information such as actionable gene mutations, protein expression levels, tumor heterogeneity, prognosis, or response to treatment [27].…”

Combined analysis of serum γ-glutamyl transferase isoenzyme II, α-L-fucosidase and α-fetoprotein detected using a commercial kit in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

“…The five-year survival rate is <12% and mortality remains equal with morbidity (1,2). The occurrence and development of HCC is a complex multifactor and multistep process, mainly associated with chronic and persistent infection with the hepatitis virus, particularly the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) (3,4).…”