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美国得克萨斯大学 Anderson 癌症研究中心的一项多中心研究结果显示,抽取转移性乳腺癌患者7.5mL 的血液样本以检测循环肿瘤细胞(CTCs)的数量,便可预测患者无进展生存期和总生存期。研究人员在近期出版的《新英格兰医学杂志》上刊文指出,CTCs 是从实体瘤上分离下来进入血液循环的癌细胞。如果能够了解患者血液中的 CTCs数目,医生就能及早地确定治疗方案。此项研究共涉及177例即将开始初次治疗或改用新疗法的转移性乳腺癌女性患者。研究人员分别对治疗前和治疗后3～4周随访期间的患者 CTCs 数量进行检测。结果显示每7.5mL 血液中的 CTCs 含量为5或5以上者,其无进展生存期和总生存期明显低于 CTCs 含量小于5的患者;且前者的平均生存期为10个月后死亡,相比之下后者的生存时间超过18个月以上。研究人员发现 CTCs 含量大于5的患者人数从治疗前的49%降低至第一次随访结束时的30%,由此提示多数患者可对治疗产生反应。此外,研究表明非恶性肿瘤患者或健康人体内几乎不存在 CTCs。
A multicenter study by the Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in the United States found that a 7.5 mL sample of blood from patients with metastatic breast cancer to detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) was used to predict progression-free survival and overall survival . In a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers pointed out that CTCs are cancer cells that separate from solid tumors into the bloodstream. If the number of CTCs in the patient’s blood is known, the doctor will be able to determine the treatment plan as soon as possible. The study involved a total of 177 women with metastatic breast cancer about to begin initial treatment or to switch to new therapies. The researchers tested the number of CTCs in patients during the follow-up period of 3 to 4 weeks before and after treatment, respectively. The results showed that every 7.5mL blood CTCs content of 5 or more, the progression-free survival and overall survival was significantly lower than the CTCs content of less than 5 patients; and the former average survival time of 10 months after the death, phase The latter survived more than 18 months. The researchers found that the number of patients with CTCs greater than 5 decreased from 49% before treatment to 30% at the end of the first follow-up, suggesting that most patients respond to treatment. In addition, studies have shown that there is almost no CTCs in non-malignant tumors or in healthy individuals.