Topic: The Biology and Therapeutic Utility of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC)

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) comprise a rare and heterogeneous cell population that sheds from tumors and circulates through the peripheral bloodstream at various stages of the carcinogenic process, from early pre-malignant lesions to fatal metastasis. Over the last two decades, the concept of "Liquid Biopsy", which involves interrogating CTCs and other blood analytes (ctDNA, exosomes, microRNAs, etc.) for clinical application as precision medicine tools, has witnessed significant expansion. This growth is attributed to the initial implementation of liquid biopsy, which demonstrated the clinical utility of CTCs as independent prognostic indicators for the progression-free and overall survival of metastatic cancer patients. During this period, the field of "Liquid Biopsy" has experienced remarkable advancements. These include the development and commercialization of multiple platforms and tests, as well as increased knowledge regarding CTC biology, CTC subsets, and CTC biomarkers. Consequently, CTC analyses now employ enrichment platforms that capture CTCs using multiple parameters at single-cell level or identify CTCs based on the expression of cancer-specific biomarkers or the presence of CTC-specific transcripts. Collectively, CTC studies have opened new investigational avenues for detecting and prognosticating cancer progression and therapy responses. This Special Issue aims to cover the latest trends in novel CTC research and their clinical application ("Liquid Biopsy" ). We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Methods, Clinical Trial Perspective, and Opinion articles. 

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), CTC clusters, CTC biomarkers, clinical utility of CTC testing, translational cancer research

20 Jul 2024