Circulating Tumor Cells: When a Solid Tumor Meets a Fluid Microenvironment

Abstract

Solid tumor dissemination from the primary site to the sites of metastasis involves tumor cell transport through the blood or lymph circulation systems. Once the tumor cells enter the bloodstream, they encounter a new hostile microenvironment. The cells must withstand hemodynamic forces and overcome the effects of fluid shear. The cells are exposed to immunological signaling insults from leukocytes, to collisions with erythrocytes, and to interactions with platelets or macrophages. Finally, the cells need to attach to the blood vessel walls and extravasate to the surrounding stroma to form tumor metastases. Although only a small fraction of invasive cells is able to complete the metastatic process, most cancer-related deaths are the result of tumor metastasis. Thus, investigating the intracellular properties of circulating tumor cells and the extracellular conditions that allow the tumor cells to survive and thrive in this microenvironment is of vital interest. In this chapter, we discuss the intravascular microenvironment that the circulating tumor cells must endure. We summarize the current experimental and computational literature on tumor cells in the circulation system. We also illustrate various aspects of the intravascular transport of circulating tumor cells using a mathematical model based on immersed boundary principles.

Single Cell Transcriptome in Colorectal Cancer—Current Updates on Its Application in Metastasis, Chemoresistance and the Roles of Circulating Tumor Cells

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Detection of Apoptotic Circulating Tumor Cells Using in vivo Fluorescence Flow Cytometry

“…A possible explanation for this is that cells injected into the bloodstream of a mouse go through many changes that do not occur when testing in vitro. For cells to survive in the circulatory system, they must withstand strong flow velocities and shear stress that can damage the cell membrane . Due to these phenomena, it is plausible to expect differences in in vivo and in vitro results.…”

Panel of seven long noncoding RNA as a candidate prognostic biomarker for ovarian cancer

“…GSEA proved that the seven-lncRNA signature was more likely associated with ECM–receptor interaction, TGF-beta signaling pathway, focal adhesion. ECM–receptor interaction plays an important role in invasion and metastasis of tumor 27. TGF-beta signaling pathway is critical for proliferation, differentiation, development and apoptosis of tumor 28.…”