Circulating tumor cells as a “real-time liquid biopsy”: Recent advances and the application in ovarian cancer
Hei‐Jen Jou, Pei‐Ying Ling, Heng‐Tung Hsu
Abstract
Even with the latest advances in technology, the treatment of ovarian cancer remains a big challenge because it is typically diagnosed at advanced stage, is prone to early relapse in spite of aggressive treatment and has an extremely poor prognosis. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be used as a non-invasive "real-time liquid biopsy", which has shown the value of diagnosis, assessment of prognosis and chemoresistance, and detection of small residual tumors on ovarian cancer. This review article provides an overview on recent research on CTCs in ovarian cancer, with special focus on the clinical application of CTC tests.
Topics & Concepts
MedicineLiquid biopsyCirculating tumor cellOvarian cancerOncologyStage (stratigraphy)BiopsyMinimal residual diseaseInternal medicineCancerMetastasisLeukemiaBiologyPaleontologyCancer Cells and MetastasisCancer Genomics and DiagnosticsRenal and related cancers