Řehulková Alona M.D.

Prognostic and predictive factors in solid tumors

Cancer cells can be released from primary tumors and transported through the body via blood or lymphatic vessels. These circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can settle and cause the formation of micrometastases in suitable conditions. Numerous studies have shown that CTCs have negative prognostic significance in several types of cancer. CTCs reflect current states of tumors, thus they can provide convenient biomarkers. Furthermore, assessment of their presence and status can facilitate understanding of tumor progression (and/or the development of clinical cancer dormancy), thereby greatly assisting prognostic considerations and therapeutic decisions. Diverse methods are available for detecting, isolating, and characterizing them, which differ in specificity, utility, costs, and sensitivity. We work with RT-qPCR and CytoTrack technology.