Detection of circulating tumor cells in advanced head and neck cancer using the CellSearch system

Head Neck. 2012 Oct;34(10):1440-4. doi: 10.1002/hed.21941. Epub 2011 Nov 11.

Abstract

Background: Early detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) offers the possibility of improved outcome for patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC).

Methods: Patients with advanced-stage HNSCC (stage III/IV) were tested for CTCs using the CellSearch system (a registered trade name), which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for monitoring CTCs in other cancers.

Results: CTCs were detected in 6 of 15 patients with advanced-stage HNSCC (range, 1-2 cells/7.5 mL of blood). CTCs were significantly associated with patients with lung nodules >1 cm (p = .04). There was also a suggestion of improved survival in the CTC-negative versus the CTC-positive patients (p = .11).

Conclusions: CTCs can be successfully isolated in patients with advanced-stage HNSCC using the CellSearch system. CTC detection may be important for prognosis, evaluating treatment outcome, and for determining efficacy of adjuvant treatments.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / blood
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / secondary*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cytodiagnosis / instrumentation
  • Disease Progression
  • Early Detection of Cancer / methods*
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / blood
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / blood
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / pathology*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured