Circulating tumour cells and their association with bone metastases in patients with neuroendocrine tumours.
Br J Cancer
; 120(3): 294-300, 2019 02.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30636773
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Bone metastases are associated with a worse outcome in patients with neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). Tumour overexpression of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) appears predictive of skeletal involvement. We investigated the role of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and CXCR4 expression on CTCs as potential predictors of skeleton invasion.METHODS:
Blood from patients with metastatic bronchial, midgut or pancreatic NET (pNET) was analysed by CellSearch. CXCR4 immunohistochemistry was performed on matched formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples.RESULTS:
Two hundred and fifty-four patients were recruited with 121 midgut and 119 pNETs, of which 51 and 36% had detectable CTCs, respectively. Bone metastases were reported in 30% of midgut and 23% of pNET patients and were significantly associated with CTC presence (p = 0.003 and p < 0.0001). In a subgroup of 40 patients, 85% patients with CTCs had CTCs positive for CXCR4 expression. The proportion of CXCR4-positive CTCs in patients with bone metastases was 56% compared to 35% in those without (p = 0.18) it. Staining for CXCR4 on matched FFPE tissue showed a trend towards a correlation with CXCR4 expression on CTCs (p = 0.08).CONCLUSIONS:
CTC presence is associated with bone metastases in NETs. CXCR4 may be involved in CTC osteotropism and present a therapeutic target to reduce skeletal morbidity.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Bone Neoplasms
/
Neuroendocrine Tumors
/
Receptors, CXCR4
/
Neoplastic Cells, Circulating
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Br J Cancer
Year:
2019
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom