Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells…What is the Gold Standard and is There One?Tuesday, 28 October 2014 at 09:45 Add to Calendar ▼SELECTBIOenquiries@selectbiosciences.com The FDA approved technology for CTCs relies on the expression of EpCAM, however, this current assay cannot account for the phenomenon of lineage plasticity or epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which in turn endows CTCs with stem-cell capabilities and the ability to ultimately initiate macro- metastases by mesenchymal –epithelial transition (MET). Genetic heterogeneity in the context of CTCs will be discussed including automated FISH-based assays for detecting CTCs of different subtypes, including stem cells, mesenchymal and epithelial cells, that simultaneously analyze specific immunohistochemical phenotypes together with genomic instability within the same cell. Using this technology on sequential bloods in patients with early lung cancer, both at base- line and post -surgery, we were able to prospectively follow the phenotypic changes in CTCs. Using an antigen independent assay to analyze genetic markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by FISH in patients at risk for lung cancer or with early lung cancer,we have shown a high degree of accuracy to predict the presence of lung cancer in patients versus control subjects. |