Burgeoning evidence suggests that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may disseminate into blood vessels at an early stage, seeding metastases in various cancers such as breast and prostate cancer. Simultaneously, the early-stage CTCs that settle in metastatic sites (termed disseminated tumor cells or DTCs) can enter dormancy, marking a potential source of late recurrence and therapy resistance. Thus, the presence of these early CTCs poses risks to patients but also holds potential benefits for early detection, treatment, and opportunities for possibly curative interventions. This review delves into the role of early DTCs in driving latent metastasis within breast and prostate cancer, emphasizing the importance of early CTC detection in these diseases. We further explore the correlation between early CTC detection and poor prognoses, contributing significantly to increased cancer mortality. Consequently, the detection of CTCs at an early stage emerges as a critical imperative for enhancing clinical diagnostics and allowing for early interventions.
Endocrinology. 2024 Feb 15 [Epub ahead of print]
Song Yi Bae, Kaylee Kamalanathan, Catalina Galeano-Garces, Badrinath R Konety, Emmanuel S Antonarakis, Jayant Parthasarathy, Jiarong Hong, Justin M Drake
Astrin Biosciences, St. Paul, MN., Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.