Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany,
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2014 Jan;271(1):15-21. doi: 10.1007/s00405-013-2391-6. Epub 2013 Feb 14.
Metastasis and the associated loss of function of vital organs in the course of the disease is one of the main causes of death in head and neck cancer patients. An earlier and more reliable determination of metastasis and recurrence than currently obtained by common imaging methods could improve therapy and therefore the prognosis of head and neck cancer patients. The detection of tumor cells, which circulate in the blood of cancer patients, known as circulating tumor cells and those that can be found in the bone marrow, called disseminated tumor cells (DTC) provides a diagnostic source especially for those patients at high risk of locoregional recurrence or distant failure. Circulating tumor cells (CTC) have been identified as a prognostic factor in different solid tumors. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, there are data for a similar prognostic relevance. The methods of detection of CTC/DTC, the role in diagnosis and follow-up in head and neck cancer are summarized in this review. Furthermore, the future technical and clinical challenges to be addressed to establish CTC/DTC in clinical routine are being critically discussed.
转移以及疾病进展过程中重要器官功能的丧失是头颈部癌症患者死亡的主要原因之一。比目前常用的影像学方法更早、更可靠地确定转移和复发，将改善头颈部癌症患者的治疗效果和预后。检测在癌症患者血液中循环的肿瘤细胞（称为循环肿瘤细胞）以及在骨髓中发现的肿瘤细胞（称为播散性肿瘤细胞）提供了一个诊断来源，特别是对于那些局部区域复发或远处转移风险较高的患者。循环肿瘤细胞（CTC）已被确定为不同实体瘤的预后因素。在头颈部鳞状细胞癌中，也有类似的预后相关性数据。本文综述了 CTC/DTC 的检测方法、在头颈部癌症中的诊断和随访中的作用。此外，还批判性地讨论了在临床常规中建立 CTC/DTC 所面临的未来技术和临床挑战。
