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Research related to circulating tumor cells (CTC) and Liquid Biopsy
Clinical study of CTC
Comparison of CTC to other technologies
CTC and Liquid Biopsy
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What RGCC can offer?
Oncotrace
Oncotrace is an important step in the management and follow-up of a cancer treatment regimen. It gives us information on the current CTC count as well as the profile of how aggressive these cells are through the study of the Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) markers. By studying cancer behavior at a molecular level, doctors and patients can monitor the activity of tumor markers responsible for migration, proliferation, resistance, and metastasis.
Onconomics
Onconomics is a one-stop solution for choosing personalized treatment plans. Onconomics Plus can show you how effective specific anti-cancer drugs, targeted therapies are on individual cancer cells. It provides a comprehensive breakdown of the most suitable and successful treatments for cancer.
Immune frame
The Immune-Frame provides insights into the current state of a person’s immune system by evaluating its strengths and weaknesses in totality. This comprehensive assessment is vital for cancer survival and aids in the selection of various precise immunotherapeutic options.
ChemoSNiP
When a drug is administered to the body, the body responds to the drug itself. Not every patient responds to chemotherapy identically. ChemoSNIP looks at how our body responds to a chemotherapy agent. This tells us whether our body removes the agent rapidly, reducing its effectiveness or detoxing poorly, resulting in higher chances of toxicity. ChemoSNIP allows all clinicians to analyze how a patient's body reacts to the specific drug.
Talk with Dr. Sarah
At RGCC, we are committed to providing ongoing support to practitioners like you. We are pleased to invite you to a 1-on-1 session with Dr. Sarah Khong, our Medical Consultant, to help you better understand and utilize our services.
Dr. Sarah Khong
Director of Physician Development & Network Engagement
Clinical study of CTC
No. | Name of Research | Year | Summary |
1 | Adjusting Treatment Strategies Using Circulating Tumor Cells | 2024 | A clinical study showed that using CTC-based chemosensitivity assays in metastatic colorectal cancer can guide second-line treatments, significantly improving median overall survival from 5 to 9 months. This method tailors therapy based on CTC response, enhancing patient outcomes over best supportive care. |
2 | Correlation of CTCs with Cancer Stage | 2024 | A study of over 14,000 cancer patients found a strong linear correlation (R² = 0.995) between CTC count and cancer stage. CTCs were shown to increase with disease progression, highlighting their value as biomarkers for staging, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. |
3 | Flow Cytometric Detection of CTCs in Breast Cancer | 2019 | A blinded study validated a flow cytometric panel for detecting CTCs in breast cancer, achieving 90.16% sensitivity and 77.42% specificity. It demonstrated high diagnostic potential using a non-invasive, reproducible technique. |
4 | CTCs and Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer | 2022 | A study of 48 CRC patients found that post-treatment CTC and MCTC counts strongly correlate with shorter progression-free and overall survival. More than 6 CTCs or 5 MCTCs/5mL blood indicated poor prognosis, confirming CTCs as critical biomarkers. |
No. | Name of Research | Year | Summary |
1 | Circulating Tumor Cells Versus Circulating Tumor DNA in Colorectal Cancer: Pros and Cons | 2016 | This review highlights the complementary roles of CTCs and ctDNA in colorectal cancer, discussing their utility in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. CTCs provide phenotypic insights and can guide drug resistance analysis, while ctDNA offers mutation tracking with high sensitivity. Each has unique strengths depending on the clinical context. |
2 | Liquid Biopsy: Comprehensive Overview of Circulating Tumor DNA | 2024 | This review presents a detailed evaluation of ctDNA, covering its biology, detection technologies, and clinical relevance. It emphasizes ctDNA’s non-invasive nature, prognostic utility, and role in monitoring therapeutic response, but notes current challenges in sensitivity, cost, and standardization. |
3 | Circulating Tumor Cells Versus Circulating Tumor DNA in Lung Cancer | 2016 | This paper compares CTCs and ctDNA as liquid biopsy tools in lung cancer. While ctDNA is easier to collect and analyze, CTCs offer richer phenotypic and genotypic data. The study emphasizes the need for standardization and highlights both biomarkers’ roles in diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and resistance profiling. |
Comparison of CTC to other technologies
CTC and Liquid Biopsy
No. | Name of Research | Year | Summary |
1 | Advancements in Circulating Tumor Cell Research: Bridging Biology and Clinical Applications | 2024 | This review highlights recent progress in CTC detection, their role in early cancer detection, prognosis, monitoring treatment response, and understanding tumor heterogeneity. It also discusses current challenges and emerging technologies for CTC isolation and analysis in clinical practice. |
2 | Clinical Utility of Circulating Tumor Cells: An Update | 2020 | Summarizes the prognostic significance of CTCs across cancer types and stages, especially breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers. Discusses their potential role in treatment decisions, clinical trials, and molecular characterization for personalized therapy. |
3 | The Contribution of Liquid Biopsy in Diagnosis and Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer | 2021 | Reviews the utility of liquid biopsy in CRC, focusing on CTCs, ctDNA, and exosomes. Highlights their roles in early detection, prognosis, treatment monitoring, and personalized therapy. Emphasizes the potential of CTC count as an indicator of disease progression and treatment response. |
4 | Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells: Opportunities and Challenges | 2022 | This article details CTC biology and outlines various detection techniques including label-dependent and independent methods. It discusses opportunities for CTC use in precision oncology and addresses limitations such as rarity, heterogeneity, and technical challenges. |
5 | Circulating Tumor Cells in the Early Detection of Human Cancers | 2022 | Explores the biology and role of CTCs in cancer metastasis and early detection. Reviews isolation technologies and their application across cancer types, emphasizing the potential of CTCs in improving early diagnosis, monitoring recurrence, and tailoring treatments. |
No. | Name of Research | Year | Summary |
1 | Supportive Oligonucleotide Therapy (SOT) as an Alternative Treatment Option in Cancer | 2022 | This preliminary study assessed the effectiveness of SOT, an siRNA-based therapy targeting gene expression in cancer. Among 95 patients, SOT reduced CTC counts significantly in both monotherapy and adjunctive use. Clinical improvement and Karnofsky Index enhancement were observed in over 70% of patients, showing potential as a supportive cancer therapy. |
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