Circulating tumor cells correlate with patterns of recurrence in patients with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and patterns of recurrence in patients with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. The study involved patients with histologically confirmed, advanced prostatic adenocarcinoma, who were tested for CTCs (Veridex) when they developed recurrence after radical prostatectomy or external beam radiation between 2008 and 2014. Forty-two prostate cancer patients were evaluated. CTCs were detected in 14 out of 42 (33.3%) patients (Group A), while the remaining 28 (66.7%) showed undetectable levels of CTCs (Group B). The mean prostate-specific antigen value was higher in Group A in comparison to Group B (6.2 vs 3.3 ng/dL) (=0.48). Presence of bone metastases alone or along with nodal metastases was more common in Group A (57.1%) in comparison to Group B (25%) (=0.04). In a univariate analysis, the presence of CTCs at diagnosis correlated with the development of bone recurrence (OR: 4; 95% CI: 1.0-15.9; =0.05). Even if the study enrolled only a small number of patients, the detection of CTCs in the blood appears to correlate with the pattern of progression in patients with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, suggesting a possible role in anticipating recurrence at the bone in men with higher tumor load. Further prospective studies are warranted in this setting.